GURGAON: Amid the ongoing solid waste exigency in the city, MCG has found itself at the centre of another row, this time over doorstep waste collection. Sanitation workers operating independently in the city have alleged that the private agency the corporation appointed for primary waste collection is either not letting them operate at all or or is demanding exorbitant amounts that they can’t pay.
The agency lacks its own resources, such as vehicles and manpower, for effective and regular waste collection, but isn’t allowing them to operate either, they said. Workers’ union All India Safai Karamchari Kalyan Sangh on Friday submitted a memorandum to the divisional commissioner’s office requesting an investigation into the agency’s claims of having enough resources for door-to-door waste collection.
Former waste management concessionaire had outsourced doorstep collection to several private vendors and workers, but the new agency is stopping them from working or is asking for a sum of Rs 10,000 per month per hand cart (used to collect waste by the workers), the union said.
“Many of these sanitation workers and rag-pickers have been working in the city for the past 20 years. It is their bread and butter. We want MCG to let these workers, who belong to the Valmiki community, work to ensure regular waste collection. The workers are ready to work for any agency, be it MCG or a private agency,” said Gaurav Tank, former state president of the union who was part of the delegation that submitted the memorandum.
MCG officials, however, said the workers are instead operating illegally in areas where only the designated private firm can collect waste. “The company that has been awarded the contract for doorstep waste collection is required to hand over 46% of the user charges it collects to MCG and keep the rest. In contrast, the unauthorised vendors operating within MCG’s jurisdiction don’t share any portion of the user charges they collect with the corporation, resulting in a loss of revenue,” MCG joint commissioner (Swachh Bharat Mission) Naresh Kumar told TOI.
To the worker’s claims that the firm doesn’t have the required manpower, he said: “The contracted agency is obligated to ensure complete coverage of door-to-door waste collection. Failure to adhere to the terms outlined in the agreement will result in penalties. We can’t permit the operation of illegal waste collection vendors in the area.”
On the other hand, residents from various parts of the city have complained about the irregularity of doorstep waste collection.
They have also reported that in certain areas, the agency is preventing other private vendors from operating, limiting the options available to residents for efficient waste management.
“The private vendors operating in our area know the area better, but the agency is not allowing them to operate. We want MCG to integrate these workers with them so that our doorstep waste collection is regular,” said Lalit Suraj Bhola, general secretary of Sector 9A RWA.
Last month, the Haryana govt declared a solid waste exigency in Gurgaon and formed a panel to specifically implement what it called SWEEP – Solid Waste Environment Exigency Programme. Since then, more panels have been formed in the city to monitor the garbage crisis.