Action against firm for stopping garbage collection for a day

The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has resolved to initiate action against Antony Waste Handling Cell Private Limited within 15 days for causing inconvenience to public recently by abruptly stopping the collection of garbage for a day.

This decision was taken at the monthly meeting of the MCC’s Council meeting chaired by Mayor Jacintha Vijaya Alfred.

Opposition leaders Vijay Kumar and Premanand Shetty raised the issue of solid waste management in the city and said the representatives of Antony Waste Handling Cell Private Limited – which has bagged the contract for waste management – have given a public statement saying that the MCC has not paid its dues. Leaders from both the ruling party and Opposition condemned the attitude of the company which has bagged the contract.

Commissioner H N Gopala-krishna said 26 notices have been served to the company, including two show-cause notices in 10 months, for not following the contract norms. A report has also been submitted to the government against the company for stopping the work without providing any intimation. The next step will be initiated after consulting the legal adviser. However, the company has been given time till February 15 to set right all the loopholes in accordance with the MCC’s conditions, he added.

Corporator Naveen D’Souza urged the civic body to make the payment to the company only after obtaining the verification report by the corporators about proper waste management.The company is not carrying out sweeping, beach cleaning work and also not providing proper facilities to labourers, he charged.

Former Mayor Mahabala Marla demanded an inspection on loading mud and stones in the garbage collection vehicle in order to add to the weight. Leader of Opposition Sudhir Shetty Kannur also made a similar demand. The commissioner said an officer will be deployed at the dumping yard to check into the issue. Marla alleged that a company, without any authority, has been installing digital meters for domestic water connections.

Replying to this, City Planning and Development Standing Committee President Deepak K Poojary said the company is installing the meters in only nine houses on an experimental basis. Corporator Premanad Shetty sought an inquiry into the issue. The commissioner said that he will look into the matter.

Corporator Kavita Sanil objected to the commissioner’s move of writing a letter to the government seeking permission to devert funds from the 13th and 14th Finance Commission and  State Finance Commission (SFC) to pay the solid waste management company. “Don’t devert funds earmarked for the development of the dumping yard,” he demanded.

Opposition Leader Sudhir Shetty said the officials have not submitted a proposal for the action plan of the programmes to be taken under the SFC and 14th Financial Plan Funds. The meeting approved a proposal to instal a statue of Late Ullal Srinivas Mallya at Padil Junction and renaming it as Ullal Srinivas Mallya Circle.