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Coastal city to be the next garbage city?

Coastal City To Be The Next Garbage City?
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News Karnataka – Exculsive

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It is true that the Mangalore City Corporation(MCC) has a budget of 17.62 Crore for waste management for its 60 wards for the current year. Yet mounting garbage problems are destroying the green and clean tag of this coastal city. An investigation done by News Karnataka across the city reveals the real daily hazards of Mangaloreans.

The Garbage Menace

Unauthorized garbage dumps is a constant hindrance to every Mangalorean’s life,  which have sprung up at roadsides, corners and vacant plots. The garbage remains uncovered, and often uncollected for days. Cows, stray dogs, cats and even rag pickers forage in these garbage dumps.  They  open up  the tied plastic bags which then attract crows and rodents, making things worse.  Floating waste in the rainwater is another  headache of pedestrians.  The problem is compounded by a lack of garbage bins at strategic locations, as was the case previously. This is the result of the Mangalore City Corporation’s bid to introduce a door to door garbage collection and disposal system. This scheme has failed miserably, leaving the residents and the city in a stinking, unhygienic hazardous tizzy. Nanthoor, Pump well, Kadri, Balmatta, and other such prime locations in Mangalore have not been immune to this garbage menace.

Most residents that News Karnataka spoke to in these areas had a  common catchphrase – “There is no alternative for law abiding and civic minded citizens. There are no garbage bins to be found and the door to door system introduced is not working effectively. “ The Local Municipal authorities and Corporators claimed that this is due to centralization of garbage dumps and the introduction of a  door to door collection system.  They also blamed the contractor system for the mess. Contractors are appointed to pick up waste through door to door collection system They reiterated that the bins have been removed as there is a plan to dispose garbage in a scientific way. Also, sometimes the residents do not pay them for their services, and therefore they do not pick up the garbage regularly.

The  Present Scenario

Mangalore, has an estimated population of 5, 55,244 as per 2011 estimates. This area and population produces an average of 220 TPD of wastes, with a daily collection frequency of 200 TPD. The waste collected has a composition of 60% of organic, 25% of inorganic, 5% of combustible & 10% of recyclable wastes. Currently, waste Collection is organized by the Corporation in 47 of its 60 wards through Private Contractors, and in the remaining 13, through its own limited staff and equipment. In 2008, the corporation decided to allocate the collection and disposal of waste of all the 60 wards to a single contractor. For a variety of reasons, it did not happen. And in 2011, the MCC revived the proposal. By that time the costs had gone up 21% and the matter remained unresolved. 

Again now in 2014, the MCC has finalized a tender in favor of a single company – Mumbai based Antony Waste Management Ltd, at a huge cost increase.  According to official sources the Mumbai-based company – named Anthony Waste Management has quoted Rs. 7.95 crore per annum for waste management in the north zone (29wards) and Rs. 9.67 crore per annum for the south zone (31wards).  This will be a two package system – segregation and collection and transportation to Pachanady.

This company was the only bidder, and the work order is expected to be issued for 7 years on the premise that the private company will inject sufficient infrastructure to efficiently manage the situation.  Controversial to say the least.

Currently, there is no segregation at source, though a pilot project for the same was initiated in two wards of the corporation – Mannagudda and Balmatta. Apart from this,  the Pachanady dump yard , which had earned the reputation of an environment friendly project, now, has a different story to tell. Local residents are unhappy with the  foul smell, the untreated effluent contaminates and the  hazardous hospital waste being unofficially dumped there.

However speaking to News Karnataka on the subject, MLA JR Lobo asserted that there will be no shifting of the site, but whatever complaints that residents raise will be addressed adequately. Some efforts have been made in this direction recently and have begun to bear fruit.

The MCC’s plans

The Mangalore City Corporation is in a right royal bind over the issue of Solid Waste Management. In 2014 after a prolonged delay, the much touted garbage cess was finally implemented. Unfortunately the contractor continues to collect his fee from the residents for whatever little service he offers. A double whammy for the residents.

Speaking on the subject, Gokuldas Nayak, the deputy commissioner at MCC said that economic viability of this plan depends entirely on the Garbage cess and enhanced property tax @15% that the Mangalore City Corporation has started collecting, for the year 2014 -15.  The MCC has yet to issue the work order for Solid Waste Management even as it has started collecting the enhanced taxes and the garbage cess.  In the meanwhile, Mangalore continues to be without its dust bins and un-segregated and uncovered garbage is accumulating.

Clearly the blame cannot lie on the Corporation alone.  Residents too must share the blame for failing to  perform their civic duties. Today we are a green city, but certainly we are heading for the tag of garbage city  – unless the corporation and residents  act with resolve and speed to arrest the slide.

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