Study trashes claims on garbage collection

November 4:An inhouse study has rubbished the claim of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation8217;s conservancy department to transport 6,000 metric tons of garbage everyday. Statistics from a survey carried out by the Test Audit Vigilance Officer TAVO reveal that just a little over 5,000 metric tons make it to the city8217;s four dumping grounds every day.

The survey was carried out during the monsoon in July, informed Ajit Kumar Jain, Additional Municipal Commissioner in charge of the conservancy department. 8220;The figure stood at 5,000 metric tons. But since debris is also lifted by the staff and treated as part of garbage, the figure would be a little over 5,000 metric tons,8221; he added. Yet, the corporation employs private contractors in addition to civic staff to transport the garbage.8220;With the infrastructure available with the corporation, the civic staff alone could transport 19,000 cubic metres of garbage everyday. But at present, the civic staff together with private contractors transport just 12,000cubic metres of garbage,8221; Jain informed. The BMC could even do away with private contractors completely and utilise the civic staff adequately, claimed Jain. Realising that private contractors are being hired only because partially filled trucks are entering the dumping grounds, two TAO members will be posted at each of the city8217;s dumps to ensure that trucks carry the specified quantity of garbage.

They will also carry out ward-wise checks before the trucks proceed to the dumping grounds. The corporation is also considering transporting garbage at night, added Jain.

The administration has decided to stop recruitment of labourers unless it is directed to by the courts. The 33,000-strong conservancy department is allocated Rs 299 crore every year, of which 70 per cent is spent on the salaries of the staff. 8220;We can manage with the same staff strength atleast for the next five years,8221; reasoned Jain.

The administration will also implement norms laid down by the Solid Waste Management department way backin 1978 which stated that each sweeper will sweep 5,000 sq mts on congested roads. At present, about 6,000 sq mts are covered by two sweepers as the union insists that sweepers work in pairs for safety reasons.