The Hindu        02.12.2014  

Outsourcing of solid waste management only in 10 wards

In a sudden move, the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation
has restricted the private solid waste management firm to carry out
garbage cleaning in just 10 wards instead of 18 wards.

The
move comes in the wake of reservations expressed by a few councillors
to allow conservancy workers of private firm to clean their areas. They
are apparently insisting that the garbage cleaning should be carried out
only through conservancy workers employed by the corporation.

It
had originally given permission to a Chennai-based firm to take up
sanitary work and solid waste management in 18 wards. The council had
given its approval for privatisation of garbage cleaning about
one-and-a-half years ago.

As per the agreement,
Srinivas Waste Management agency was asked to take up collection of
garbage, segregation at source, and transport it to garbage dump yards.
It was given charge of wards 8 and 9 in Srirangam zone; wards 7, 28, 29,
61, 62 and 64 in Ariyamangalam zone; wards 35-39, 63, and 65 in Golden
Rock zone and wards 40, 41, and 45 in K. Abishekapuram zone besides
Central and Chathram bus stands and Gandhi Market in the city. It had to
cover 77,262 households in an area of 50 square km.

However, the private firm has been asked to restrict its activities to 10 wards, two bus stands, and Gandhi Market.

Asked about the reasons for downsizing the work by the private firm, V.P. Thandapani, Commissioner, told
The Hindu
that the idea was to ensure zero garbage in 10 wards. The private firm
had been asked to show the results in the allotted areas and Gandhi
Market. The authorities would closely follow the cleaning activities.

About
the reported opposition by a few councillors, he said the decision was
arrived after a long process and discussion at the council meeting. He
had received requests from a few more councillors to outsource the
garbage cleaning works. However, it was for the council to take a call
on this.