Amid high drama, Ludhiana MC House passes integrated solid waste mgt proposal; private firm to oversee garbage collection

The MC House meeting witnessed repeated disruptions as opposition councillors from the Congress, the SAD and the BJP opposed the integrated solid waste management proposal.

Booked Cong councillor Gaurav Bhatti reached MC house meet with handcuffs in protest against AAP govt. (Photo by Gurmeet Singh)

The proposed waste management project would work under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under the supervision of a private firm. This includes door-to-door collection, transportation, segregation and scientific processing of waste. Opposition councillors alleged irregularities and warned that the project would eliminate livelihoods of unorganised sanitation workers from the Valmiki community who have been collecting the solid waste in the city for decades.

Meanwhile, sanitation workers also reached outside the meeting venue with their carts protesting against the integrated project. They argued that they already manage door-to-door collection and fear losing their jobs if private firms take over. They have vowed to intensify their agitation.

Mayor Kaur, however, said the sanitation workers were advised that there was “no threat” to their livelihoods.

The estimated cost of the integrated project is Rs 140 to 150 crore annually or Rs 1100 to 1200 crore for over eight years. This would cover all the 95 wards of Ludhiana city with over 20 lakh residents.

Currently, the garbage collection is largely unorganised carried out by sanitation workers and small contractors. Worker unions fear that outsourcing to private companies will threaten the livelihoods of thousands of sanitation workers. The opposition parties have alleged that the cost per tonne has jumped from Rs 925 to Rs 3,300, raising suspicions of irregularities.