Waste collection remains halted, Faridabad MC yet to float tender

The Faridabad Municipal Corporation is yet to release a fresh tender regarding the work of collection and disposal of civic waste on a long-term basis.

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The door-to-door collection of waste here has been on hold due to a dispute with the company that had been given the contract seven years ago.

The annulment of the old contract will enable the civic body to renew the process. However, the process of annulment has been suspended for more than 10 months.

The Urban Local Bodies Department is expected to formally announce the end of the previous contract before the start of the next financial year. This would pave way for adopting a long-term measure for not only door-to-door collection, but also for recycling and processing of civic waste, a persistent issue, according to sources in the district administration.

The long-term contract for waste collection from households has been on hold due to hurdles caused by dispute with the agency, which was given a 22-year contract in 2017-18. Authorities had recommended the cancellation of the contract last year — citing poor performance and the inability to set up a waste-to-energy plant.

The issue remains entangled in legal hurdles, affecting civic work.

“The formal end to the old contract is expected within the next two months, as a final notice has been issued or is likely to be issued to the agency concerned,” said an official, on the condition of anonymity.

Though the process of releasing new tenders had begun in February 2024, the elections and a “legal angle” delayed it, it is revealed.

“Despite spending over Rs 150 crore on cleanliness each year, the problem of collection, disposal and processing of waste has remained unresolved, perhaps due to poor planning and execution,” said Deepak Chaudhary, a former elected member of the civic body.

Civic conditions in the city had deteriorated due to poor work, he added.

With over 1,000 tonnes of waste churned out daily, the civic body faces the problem of dumping and processing it as the NGT has banned disposing of the waste at the landfill site in Bandhwari village.

Ongoing protests have impacted the work at the recycling plants set up at two villages.

The proposal to set up a waste-to-charcoal plant, estimated to cost Rs 500 crore, at Mothuka village in the district has also been on hold due to opposition.

MC Executive Engineer Padam Bhushan said the process would be initiated as per the instructions of the state government.