Mangaluru: Janmashtami is one of the most awaited festivals in Mangaluru for the sheer glitz attached to the public ‘Mosaru Kudige’ ceremony. At the household levels, while poojas and rituals are observed, whole lot of cooking takes place in the kitchens, which churns out a lot of waste too for disposal. But, this Janmashtami, the faithful were forced to perform prayers to Lord Krishna keeping stinking buckets of waste at home.
Thanks to the confusions brewing between the Mangaluru City Corporation and Anthony Waste Handling Cell Pvt Limited, the company deputed with the job to collect garbage from Mangaluru City.
The employees (garbage collectors) of the company decided to go on a stir on August 14 citing non-payment of salary as the reason and after leaving the city in lurch for three days, they resumed work late on August 17 morning. There is nothing new in the employees of Antony Waste going on a stir citing non-payment of salary as the reason because even in the past several such instances have cropped up before the MCC, but the issue continues to persist.
As expected, piles of garbage remained outside every apartment and independent houses. Some ‘clever’ citizens of Mangaluru transformed strategic locations in the city into dumping yards in a bid to ensure that the stinking stack of garbage is once and for all disposed out of their homes.
All in all, the only creatures that seemed to be happy about the whole episode were the mongrels who lavished on the food leftovers and rejoiced tearing apart the polyethene bags. Rodents joined them!
So, what exactly is the equation between the payer MCC and the payee Anthony Waste.
When this reporter contacted Rakshith, Operational Manager of the Anthony Waste Handling Cell it was found that the Mangaluru City Corporation, which basks in glory every year after presenting a massive surplus budget is due to pay about 27 cr, which includes 19 crore (i.e Rs 8 crore towards escalation amount from February 2016 to July 2017; Rs 2.6 crore toward the bill for July month; Rs 8.85 crore towards minimum wage reimbursement for the labors from August 2016 to June 2017) and a sum of Rs 8 cr withheld by the MCC without any information to the company.
When a romping amount of Rs 27 cr is due to reach the company, it is obvious that the employees working on field feel the heat. Since their salaries were not released on time, the personnel doing one of the toughest jobs hung their shoes, leaving the entire city smothered in squalor.
Speaking to newskarnataka, Vedavathi, a resident of Kadri ward here said that with nowhere to dispose the waste, specially the fish remains they had to put up with with the foul smell in the house. It was disappointing especially during the festive occasion that ‘waste’ which is considered inauspicious was also found in the house.
Plunging into action, Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Mohommed Nasir and Mayor Kavitha Sanil held an emergency meeting to sort out the issue, but by then the employees had got back to work relieving the residents of Mangaluru- the city which is in the run up for Smart City.
Mayor’s take
Kavitha Sanil, who has already earned the name of being a pro-active Mayor because of the stern stand that she takes on various issues haunting the MCC, told newskarnataka.com that she is aware of the situation and that she will work out a solution to the problem at the earliest.
“The MCC has not violated any norms of the agreement. Anyway, the Corporation is not due to pay the amount that the company is quoting. The issue is now before the DC,” she said.
