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This is an archive article published on February 3, 2009

Waste unit: ousted contractor set to move SC

The Pune Municipal Corporation,which cancelled a private firm’s contract to dispose of biomedical waste after a fatal accident near the incinerator site in September 2008...

The Pune Municipal Corporation,which cancelled a private firm’s contract to dispose of biomedical waste after a fatal accident near the incinerator site in September 2008,is set to fresh hurdles in getting a new contractor for the job.

And now,the contractor who ran the facility is getting ready to approach the Supreme Court to put a stay on the PMC’s process to give a fresh contract to another firm. Sunil Singhania,head of Sun Environ Management Private Ltd that ran the incinerator,had earlier moved the Bombay High Court for a stay on cancellation of the contract but was asked to approach a lower court.

The company would soon appeal in the Supreme Court to stay the process of appointment of a new contractor,Singhania said. “The accident near the biomedical waste disposal unit that killed seven persons was unfortunate. The way the PMC terminated the contract is illegal and we challenged it in court,” said.

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The PMC had abruptly terminated the contract without even calling for our explanation,he said.

After the accident,the PMC had terminated the contract given to Sun Enviro Management Pvt Ltd for disposal of bio-medical waste near Kailash crematorium. The inquiry after the accident revealed that the contractor had illegally given a sub-contract to a private firm for disposal of deodorant cans that led to a fire killing seven labourers.

The police had arrested the contractor. A committee appointed by the PMC had also held the civic health department officials guilty of negligence as they had not inspected the site regularly.

PMC deputy chief health officer Dhananjay Chandakar said a court stay would affect the process of appointment of a new contractor. “The process of appointment of a new contractor is nearing completion. We cannot help if the earlier contractor gets a stay on the process,” he said,adding,the civic administration is awaiting approval of the general body for the new appointment.

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The PMC has proposed to hand over the work to Posco Environmental Solution Pvt Ltd,which runs the Pimpri-Chinchwad biomedical waste facility. The proposal approved by the standing committee is to get the nod of the general body. Meanwhile,the PMC is disposing of biomedical waste in Satara and other locations due to closure of the incinerator in the city.


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