SWM project top priority for HDMC's new commissioner

Senior KMAS officer C W Shakeel Ahmed, who took over charge as the commissioner of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) on Monday, noted that his top priority would be to implement the comprehensive solid waste management (SWM) system in the twin cities at the earliest, and to attend to severe water scarcity faced in some areas.

Mr Shakeel Ahmed, who played a key role in preparing the plan for the comprehensive SWM project when he was the HDMC joint commissioner, stated that, now as the HDMC commissioner, he would focus on systematically implementing the Rs 60.45 crore project, so that the twin cities can be made dustbin-free by efficiently implementing door-to-door garbage collection.

"My first meeting with the HDMC officials will be about the SWM project itself. I am already informed that work orders have been issued for the auto tippers, and the staff required are also arranged," he said, after taking charge from outgoing commissioner Maj (retd) Siddhalingayya Hiremath.

Some areas in Hubballi City are facing severe water scarcity, and steps would be taken to tackle that, by supplying water using bore-wells, he said.

Mr Shakeel Ahmed said, there was no funds crunch for the projects that are already approved, while the remaining financial issues would be managed with prudence.

As the implementation of several projects are going on in the twin cities, a couple of more years are required for the twin cities to get stabilised, he observed.

For those agencies that do not restore the road after digging for cable laying works, additional actions like seizing the cables and booking cases would be taken, along with imposing fine, he said.

As the managing director of Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Limited, I will try to speed up the process to implement different works under the 'Smart City' project, he added.

Hiremath satisfied

Before handing over the charge to Mr Shakeel Ahmed, Maj (retd) Siddhalingayya Hiremath expressed satisfaction about his works as the HDMC commissioner for around one-and-a-half-years.

Before me, six commissioners in 10 years initiated works worth Rs 640 crore. I started works worth Rs 513 crore, including 'Smart City' works. But, the HDMC did not receive special grants or pension grants during my tenure, he said.

Disciplinary action was taken including suspension of 25 personnel, biometric attendance system was introduced, tax collection was improved, and financial affairs were controlled. Rs 35 lakh ward fund could not be provided due to financial crunch. Amount under the general fund was also used as per budget allocation, and there was no discrimination in that, Mr Hiremath noted, when asked about allegation by some corporators.

Rs 42 crore bills are yet to be paid by the HDMC, while Rs 16.48 crore pension grant sanctioned is also not yet been released, he said, asking Mr Shakeel Ahmed to have control over the finances.

Being a senior corporator, Dr Pandurang Patil should not have taken my phone during the HDMC general body meeting, Mr Hiremath added.