Waste management to get boost in Amritsar with 90 more vehicles

With reports of tardy garbage lifting coming in from different parts of the city after a dispute between the Municipal Corporation and Averda company entrusted with collecting waste, the district administration has instructed the garbage collection agency to increase the number of garbage collection vehicles by 90. It will raise the total number of vehicles to 200 from the present 110.

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Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney held a joint meeting with Medical Officers, Improvement Trust and PUDA officials for cleanliness in the city. Keeping in view the garbage problem, she gave strict orders to city-based agencies like Improvement Trust and PUDA in addition to the Municipal Corporation to start cleaning operations in zones under their jurisdiction.

Understanding the current problem, the Deputy Commissioner instructed the garbage collection agency in the city to increase the number of vehicles from 110 to 200. She said that special vehicles will be introduced to separate dry and wet waste and new bio-remediation machines will be installed at Bhagatanwala dump. She clarified that if any agency or contractor violates the order, legal action will be taken against him, while cleanliness in the city will be brought back on track.

The Deputy Commissioner said the city, where nearly one lakh tourists come every day, needs more resources to keep it clean. She said that keeping the immense potential of the city as well as its religious significance in mind, its cleanliness should be on time and a matter of priority.

Deployment of minimum number of staff for lifting garbage, irregular timings and inadequate number of vehicles have already marred the old world charm of the walled city, offering an unhygienic view to the visitors who come to the Golden Temple daily to pay obeisance.

The filthy streets are a result of the ongoing dispute between the Amritsar Municipal Corporation and Averda company, with both the parties blaming each other. But this has made the people suffer as there are heaps of filth in the city.

The Deputy Commissioner told Dr Kiran Kumar, District Health Officer of the Municipal Corporation, that he should review the cleanliness arrangements under supervise it. Also, cleanliness of the city should be done daily. Executive Engineer Sandeep Singh and other officials were also present on the occasion.