After Chief Secretary’s rap, Gurugram MC enhances sanitation efforts

Kulwinder Sandhu

Gurugram, June 19

After receiving flak from the Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad over poor sanitary conditions in Gurugram, senior officials of the district administration, Municipal Corporation and other departments have been on their toes for the past couple of days to personally supervise cleanliness work in their respective areas.

Solid waste mgmt exigency

• The Haryana Government had recently declared a Solid Waste Exigency in Gurugram under Section 22 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• It had come in response to the Supreme Court’s order on May 13, and the NGT observations, emphasising the urgent need to ensure cleaner environment for Gurugram citizens as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• The NGT had previously described the situation as an environmental emergency, underscoring the need for more serious handling of waste management.

Prasad had held a meeting with all the civil officials of the district administration and the civic body on Monday evening. He asked the local officials to perform their duties effectively and clean the city. He warned that departmental action may be taken against erring officials, revealed an insider who was sitting in the meeting.

Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Chand Bidhan, MC Commissioner Dr Narhari Singh Banger and Additional Commissioner Dr Balpreet Singh were conducting surprise checks to review the collection and transportation of garbage and construction and demolition (C&D) waste in the early mornings and late nights, along with HCS officials appointed as nodal officers in the 35 wards in the city.

On Wednesday morning, the Divisional Commissioner flagged off new garbage collection vehicles in the Civil Lines area and inspected the ongoing sanitation works.

Currently, a total of 350 vehicles were collecting garbage in the city. The strength would be increased to 750 as per the requirement in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Banger and YS Gupta, Additional Director (HQ) of the Urban Local Bodies Department, visited the Sector 14 market and held a meeting with local businessmen and shopkeepers. They asked shopkeepers to keep dustbins outside their shops so that sanitary workers could easily collect the waste.

Banger told The Tribune that the district administration as well as the civic body had now adopted a zero tolerance policy towards violators found throwing garbage or C&D waste on the roadside or on. “We will take legal action against whosoever is making the city dirty,” he added.

The MC Commissioner said an FIR had been registered against a Sukhmaa Group of Companies at the Sector 14 police station for failing to provide better services as per the agreement. This company was hired by the MC for sweeping roads and collection of garbage from roadsides.

Banger said one of the senior functionaries of this company was arrested by the police. However, a local court granted him bail. The local police are conducting further investigation.

Besides, the MC has got an FIR registered and five trucks impounded for throwing C&D waste on public places. As many as 200 challans had also been issued for throwing garbage on the roadsides and in the open till Wednesday evening.

The MC Commissioner said a warning had been issued to all MC officials to perform their duties effectively to make the city clean; otherwise, departmental action may be initiated against them.