Garbage collection company resumes work

City Corporation to hold talks with MD regarding violation of contract rules

The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will hold talks with the managing director of the Antony Waste Handling Cell Pvt Ltd regarding the contract conditions for garbage collection with the company.

The talks are to be held within a fortnight to set right the issues related to the non-compliance with the conditions set before the company regarding the door-to-door collection of garbage across the City.

Speaking to mediapersons in the City on Wednesday, Deputy Mayor Purushottam Chitrapura said that the company had stopped collection of garbage from doorsteps on Tuesday, but had resumed work on Wednesday morning.

“Although the company had started collecting garbage from doorstep from February 1, 2015, it had failed to comply with the other conditions, including sweeping of streets. The firm had not removed the silt that had accumulated in drains or deployed machines to undertake sweeping of concrete roads and weeding work. The Corporation decided to impose penalty on the firm for its failure to carry out such work that had been entrusted to it,” explained the deputy mayor.

He also warned that if the firm failed to fulfil the conditions in spite of the Corporation holding meetings with the managing director, then the Corporation will take legal course of action, as the MCC had signed the contract with the company for a period of seven years.

Rs 17.68 crore paid
“The Corporation has paid Rs 15,68,99,979.29 since the inception of the service till October. It has also cleared dues of Rs two crore on January 5. A total of Rs 17,68,99,979.29 has been paid so far. The Corporation has, however, deducted a sum of Rs 3,08,27,223 in form of fine, for failure of the firm to fulfil the conditions in the contract.

The payment is made only after the bills are produced by the company and are verified by the officials by reading the daily report of the health inspectors, GPS report from the vehicles and documents at the weighbridge in the Pachchanady landfill site,” he explained.

Speaking further, Chitrapura said, “A sum of Rs 1.89 crore (50 per cent of bill from Feb and March) was paid on April 23, 2015; Rs 2.69 crore (remaining 50 per cent of Feb and March and full amount of April) on June 23, 2015; Rs 2.85 crore (50 per cent of the bill for May and June) on August 5; Rs 3.45 crore (remaining 50 per cent of May, June and full bill of July) on Sept 11, 2015; Rs 2.78 crore (50 per cent of the bill of August and Sept) on November 6 and Rs 2 crore (25 per cent of August, September, 50 per cent of Oct) on December 15. The bill for December is pending to be paid by the Corporation.”

Complaints
Corporation Commissioner Dr H N Gopalakrishna concurred that there were complaints against the Antony Waste Handling Cell Pvt Ltd that it had been engaging in transport of soil to the landfill site and that it had failed to provide safety measures for the employees including gloves and shoes.

“The Corporation has already issued 25 notices to the company seeking explanation for failing to comply with the conditions. The company, however, abruptly stopped the garbage collection twice in the City so far, for which, too, notice has been issued. On the other hand, the Corporation has been collecting the solid waste management (SWM) cess from the citizens, along with the property tax, under the self-assessment scheme (SAS). The demand for SAS during the year is Rs 55.65 crore and solid waste management (SWM) cess, is Rs 15 crore. The Corporation has collected Rs 30 crore of property tax and Rs 4.51 crore of solid waste management (SWM) cess,” he listed out.

The officer has appealed to the citizens to pay property tax along with the SWM cess within the stipulated period.