The Indian Express 01.08.2012
‘Crippling shortage of garbage compactors’
After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failed to award fresh contracts for collecting garbage across the city, there is now a crippling shortage of almost 300 collection trucks, admitted senior officials on Tuesday.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Rajeev Jalota, while assuring corporators that all problems will be ironed out in the next fortnight, said the city is facing a deficit of almost 300 garbage collection vehicles. He blamed “technical problems” for the delayed tendering process and the subsequent delay in awarding new contracts.
The previous contracts, in force from June 1, 2007, expired on May 31 this year.“All garbage issues in Mumbai’s 24 wards will be sorted out by August 14. Mumbai produces 6,500 tonnes of garbage daily. Of the total number of vehicles plying for collection, 30 per cent are supplied by the BMC and the remaining are rented vehicles supplied by the contractors.
At present, there is a shortage of contracted vehicles, so we have hired 257 dumpers and 40 JCBs to fill the gap,” said Jalota at the BMC general body meeting.
Among the reasons for delays in the tendering process, the Additional Municipal Commissioner also cited the problem of procuring Euro IV vehicles.
According to a 2010 Supreme Court order, all garbage compactors must be upgraded to Euro IV. “These vehicles are not easily available as suppliers do not stock them. We requested the Bombay High Court to give us some time to acquire these. We have been granted an extension till June 2013 to ply Euro III garbage vehicles. Tata Motors is in the process of manufacturing the vehicles and should meet the supply in the next six to eight months,” said Jalota.
He added that to tide over the delay, existing contracts were extended by 45 days since the end of May. However, Anthony Waste Handling Cell, which was awarded the contract for garbage collection in 10 of the 24 wards, is unable to supply as many vehicles as needed.
“Since the contract ended on May 31, from supplying 90 per cent of the total number of rented vehicles, the contractor now supplies only 65 per cent because they are facing a deficit. The supply problem should be solved soon,” said Jalota. He admitted that Zone 6, which constitutes Ghatkopar, Mulund and Bhandup, are worst affected by the backlog.
