Patiala MC fails to act against pvt firm due to own lapses

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 24

While the Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to make any headway in either proper segregation or collection of waste for disposal in the past over two years, Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said there had been lapses on the part of the corporation itself.

Councillors and insiders alleged that the corporation had failed to ensure accountability of the private company, which had been allotted the project.

The MC’s door-to-door solid waste collection project from 1,41,000 units in the city was allotted to Hari-Bhari Recyclable Waste Management Private Limited, Noida, and the work order regarding the same was issued on October 9, 2018. The company was tasked with collection and segregation of waste, which was to be dumped in semi-smart underground waste collection bins and compactors, but fell short of it.

A year later, the MC, in a general house meeting, said the work executed by the company was unsatisfactory and gave it a time of three months to perform better, else its project would be scrapped. In January this year, the MC again gave it an extension despite objections from various councillors.

In June this year, the MC had again demanded a report from sanitary inspectors, which insiders said was left ignored.

Councillor Ramanpreet Kaur and former councillor Ravinderpal Singh Jonny Kohli of the SAD said, “As a service provider, the company has not fulfilled the requirements of the project. Even after two years of signing the agreement, the MC is giving it extra time instead of blacklisting it. There is a possible nexus to accommodate the company.”

Insiders said the extensions had been provided over political pressure. “In the Swachh Survekshan rankings-2020, the city could have been much better, had the MC ensured the company performed as per the project,” an employee said.

Responding to the matter, Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said, “We are trying to rectify the lapses on our part as well. They have taken time to install UPIN numbers.”

She claimed the company has made progress. “The corporation has not provided proper information regarding the project though advertisements. So, we first need to do that on our part.” She said the corporation would first monitor the company’s progress for another month and decide on it later.