Solan: Waste management pact executed at ‘exorbitant’ rates

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Solan, March 6

A nominated councillor, Shailender Gupta, today alleged that the contract to manage solid waste at the Solan Municipal Corporation (MC) was executed at exorbitant rates.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Gupta claimed that neither the Mayor/Deputy Mayor nor some councillors were aware of this contract. It was initially executed for a month on a trial basis and later extended to three years without the knowledge of the members, he alleged

“A sum of Rs 27 lakh is being spent on garbage management in the Solan MC, which is exorbitant as compared to other MCs in the state. This issue was raised in the general house meeting of the MC held on Saturday, in which councillors expressed shock at the rates.”

Rs27L being spent on garbage management

A sum of Rs27 lakh is being spent on garbage management in the Solan MC, which is exorbitant as compared to other MCs in the state. This issue was raised in the general house meeting of the MC held on Saturday, in which councillors expressed shock at the rates. —Shailender Gupta, Nominated councillor, Solan MC

Two tenders were executed for daily waste and legacy waste. A Nalagarh-based company was lifting waste at Rs 990 per tonne, which included door-to-door collection and transportation. The company executing this work at Solan was doing so at Rs 1,962 per tonne while both tasks were being performed by the MC in Solan,” claimed Gupta.

When the agreement was compared with the Dharamsala MC, it was found that the legacy waste was being lifted at Rs 299 per tonne. Under the Solan MC, the rate was Rs 862 per tonne for legacy waste, Rs 20 lakh was spent on salaries of employees deputed to collect garbage while Rs 7 lakh was spent on transportation on a monthly basis.

“It makes no sense to lift garbage at the highest rate in Solan after providing water, too, at the highest rate. Both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor have denied having any knowledge about this exorbitant waste management and the house has decided to cancel it,” said Gupta.

Solan Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said councillors had raised objection on the exorbitant rates of waste management at the general house on Saturday. A process to float new tenders has begun while the said contractor will provide services for two months till new tenders are floated.

A Haryana-based firm had been awarded the work in September last year to scientifically dispose of the solid waste generated in the Solan MC and to lift the legacy waste lying at Salogra.