The strong criticism by Left-affiliated councillors comes in the wake of a resolution asking the State government to allow the civic body to call for fresh tenders to select a private player to continue the conservancy operations (now being carried out by Neel Metal Fanalca) from January 2012.

Participating in the debate at the Council meet, Meena Sampath, CPI councillor, said, “Left parties had opposed the move to privatise conservancy operations in city and despite failures by both the private players in cleaning the streets and roads, we could not understand why the civic body is again planning to engage another private player when the NMF’s term ends by year-end.” Echoing the same concern, Devi, CPI(M) councillor, also urged Mayor Subramanian to drop the proposal to engage another private player to continue the operations at the four zones - 3, 6, 8 and 10 - where NMF would cease its work by December 31 this year.

It may be noted that the Madras HC has recently allowed NMF to continue its conservancy operations at four of the civic body’s zones. Though the Corporation wanted to pack NMF off by March this year for its sluggish performance despite numerous warnings, the private player went to court against the civic body citing breach in contract terms.

Mayor said that the incumbent Council’s term could end by October and the resolution was to apprise the State government on the prevailing situation than regarding conservancy operations in those four zones.