Solid waste management project again in doldrums

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 12

Solid waste management project again seems to be in doldrums.

The MC had proposed to set up solid waste management plant at Rs 109 crore and designated Bhagtanwala dumpyard as a site for the same. There was only one Mumbai-based firm Ess Ell Infrastructure in the fray for the project. The firm had furnished its technical bid that was opened on May 7 and the recommendation was sent to the technical consultants appointed by the Punjab government for verification. It appeared that the firm’s technical aspects have failed to impress the consultants.

The financial bid, almost the final stage of hiring the firm, could not be opened, as it had failed to comply with the technical parameters requisite for grabbing the job. The Punjab government has established the solid waste management wings (SWMW) in the Local Bodies Department, wherein the technical experts were to assist setting up the garbage processing in different districts.

In a meeting held here today at the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama, in the presence of Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora and MC Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, the quorum reached the conclusion that the final decision for hiring the firm should be withheld as the firm did not possess ample experience in the particular field of handling solid waste and processing the garbage.

A report in this regard has been forwarded to the Ministry of Local Bodies to take a final call.

Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora said decision on finalising the firm for the project has been suspended for some time.

“Actually, taking into consideration the negligible experience of the firm for handling the garbage processing, we decided to revoke the financial bid process. It was observed by the consultants too. We have sent a report to the Local Bodies ministry that even though the firm has built roads and buildings but did not have any experience in the required field of solid waste management. That’s why, the financial bid was stalled. If the government still orders us to go ahead, we will do it,” he said. The project that was conceptualised in 2007 for Amritsar has been hanging in balance for the past over eight years due to various reasons.