Cleanliness to go into private hands at Sector 26 mandi in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, January 31

Filthy and unhygienic conditions at the Sector 26 vegetable market and its vicinity may soon be a thing of the past with the Municipal Corporation looking to outsource the work of sweeping, waste collection, segregation, lifting and transportation.

The work, to be allocated to an agency on a wall-to-wall basis, will entail taking care of sweeping and cleaning of service roads, footpaths, road berms, central verge, pavement, cycle track, collection and transportation of leaves in a safe manner.

The agency will be responsible for the entire process of sweeping, cleaning, collection, segregation, transportation, picking up/unloading of litter, debris, horticulture waste, etc. to the designated place i.e. waste material recovery facility/processing facility/other space as defined by the civic body, in a segregated manner using a covered vehicle.

Visitors may no longer have to come across open dumps at the mandi as the agency will ensure no garbage vulnerable points are visible in the vicinity of the notified area of the market and its outer boundary where loading and unloading of fruits and vegetables is done i.e. timber market, grain market, dividing roads of Sector 26 and transport area.

The agency will further have to provide dustbins at the mandi, including vending zones, market areas, parking areas, institutions, religious places, near bus queue shelters, etc. The agency will ensure bins are emptied once filled and there is no littering.

The firm will transport 4-5 metric tonne good quality wet waste (fruits and vegetables) from the mandi to the 5-tonne/day capacity biomethanation plant at the Industrial Area, Phase I.

The remaining garbage will be transported to the waste processing site in Sector 25. Open dumps, littering, stench, potholes and muddy roads remain the bane of the mandi.

Bidding process underway, says MC

• The civic body has invited bids from interested parties till February 2
• Project will be allocated initially for six months, i.e. up to August 31
• Period may be extended on a yearly basis, based on work, with 3-yr cap

What job entails

• Firm will ensure sweeping and cleaning of service roads, footpaths, road berms, central verge, pavement, cycle track
• It will collect, segregate, pick up and transport litter, debris, horticulture waste, etc, to designated places
• Will ensure no garbage points are visible in notified area and outer boundary; provide dustbins in designated areas

Refuse to be processed

Firm will shift 4-5 MT of wet waste generated daily at the mandi to a biomethanation plant with 5-tonne capacity. Remaining garbage will be transported to the waste processing site in Sector 25.