Observing the negligence of waste management firm A2Z in collecting the State capital garbage, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) started ‘Janta Darbar’ on Sunday to know the public opinion. This first interaction involved around 50 residents from ward number 28, 29, 37 and 38.
RMC deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvergiya informed that the civic body would seek the opinions of all the 55 wards for this purpose. For more than a month, Vijayvergiya has been noticing that people across the city are facing difficulties in waste management.
He said, “After a span of two or three days we will visit every ward in the coming 19 days and then hold a meeting with the community and political parties over their views on A2Z. Thereafter, we will take a final decision on whether we shall continue with A2Z for waste collection or seek another option.”
“Besides, this Public-RMC communication, we are also working on the Beautification Detailed Project Reports (DPR) within a budget of Rs 2 crores of 18 ponds existing in the city. We have already completed the DPR of one or two such ponds and hope to complete the remaining ones on the availability of resources,” Sanjeev added.
A2Z, the Gurgaon-based firm was brought at Ranchi with an agreement of 30 years but RMC officials are mooting a plan on whether they would continue with A2Z or not due to its irregular performance.
As an option to this agency’s ignorance, the locals requested Deputy Mayor to take the help of daily wage labourers who used to work prior to A2Z’s appointment as waste collector in Ranchi.
Bimla Sahu of ward-29 said, “Even a Non-Government Organization can be given responsibility of waste management in a ward. In order to check their work progress, RMC officials can conduct monthly review meeting. This will certainly prove a better alternative for cleanliness.”
Residents opposed on RMC Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shailendra lal’s recent decision to allow A2Z as a dirt collector for more three months despite the fact that lal himself wanted to remove A2Z within a week.
According to a resident of ward 29, A2Z claims to have 1300 workers but on ground it has only 150 labourers. “Few of us met A2Z authorities recently wherein they defended their ignorance due to staff shortage,” said the local.
Most of the dwellers complained that the A2Z employees are not regular in collecting garbages. “Inspite of paying monthly tax to RMC staffs, the A2Z people do not come at our colonies to collect the wastes. We are then bound to throw the garbages ourselves. This has become a regular scene,” said AK Mishra of Ward-37.