Dues unpaid, garbage collection hit in Nurpur

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, January 19

Door-to-door garbage collection, which was launched by the local Municipal Council (MC) in May last year, has virtually collapsed after eight months due to the apathy of the authorities.

Twelve garbage collectors and two supervisors hired by a private Amritsar-based company are yet to get their monthly salaries for the past two months. They have left garbage collection from houses as well as shops a few days back after waiting for their salary.

As per information, the MC had accepted free service of door-to-door garbage collection in the houses and shops in the Nurpur municipal council area from private contractor Goodwill Executors without signing any MoU or any agreement. The MC floated online tenders for garbage collection thrice during the past six months but all were either rejected or shelved on one technical ground or other. In the meantime, the private contractor kept going for door-to-door garbage collection by giving three vehicles with fuel and drivers and 12 garbage collectors free of cost to the MC.

The private contractor was asked by the MC to collect Rs 50 per month from each household of general category, Rs 30 from BPL families and Rs 150 per month from each shopkeeper in the town. In Nurpur town, there as 619 registered BPL families and total monthly collection remained maximum 55,000 per month as garbage collection charges from residents.

Sunil Kumar, supervisor engaged by the contractor for collecting garbage in Nurpur, said he had been appointed in May last year and his job was to disburse monthly salary to the garbage collecting labourers every month. “The contractor released only Rs 40,000 in November last year whereas he had to disburse Rs 1.15 lakh to garbage collectors but no payment was released in December forcing him to stop door-to-door garbage collection in the month,” he said.

SDM Surinder Thakur said the MC would float an online tender for door-to-door collection within the next fortnight and it would be awarded to the contractor with lowest rates. He said a thorough inquiry would also be conducted on what grounds and conditions the private contractor was allowed to function in the MC for collecting garbage.