Bins that spin a tale

The three-day flash strike by the garbage collecting MNC, Onyx, resulted in a mess in various localities in the city. What really matters to the residents is, if the employees were to strike work again, will the Corporation step in, asks GOUTAM GHOSH.

WHEN 18 workers of the 1700 working for the Chennai Environmental Services-Onyx (CES-Onyx) were dismissed, the rest of the staff went on flash strike on October 9-11. The dismissal was an internal issue of the company and the lower level staff had to go through an 18-month training-probation period, and their confirmation depended on their performance, said Ms. Vidya Swaminathan, communication officer of CES-Onyx.

According to her, some of the staff stopped work on October 9 and the strike was complete on October 10-11. Though some workers were willing to work, the company decided not to take any risk, she said.

Whatever the provocation and no matter how justified the demands, the residents of three zones - 6, 8 and 10 - suffered. The Corporation of Chennai has given the cleaning rights to CES- Onyx for these three zones out of the 10, based on a global tender that was finalised in November 1999. The Onyx began its operations on March 5, 2000.

During the strike ``the garbage bins were so full that there wasn't place to put any more in,'' said a group of housewives in Raja Annamalaipuram. ``There was no option but to throw the garbage near the bins,'' said another housewife in Saligramam. ``The bins were stinking after the first day,'' said a resident of Adyar.

Though most of the housewives said that the cleaning work was fairly regular, schedules were rarely kept. Most of the households took pains to store the garbage in disposable bags, and all of them insisted that they threw the bags into the bin, and not around it. The reality was different. A recent random check in some of the areas served by the CES-Onyx showed bins overflowing, and fairly thick garlands of stinking garbage around the garbage bins.

The garbage collecting company has a seven-year contract with the Corporation of Madras, and has equipment like garbage compactors, motorised sweepers and mechanical sweepers. And has a toll-free number as well (1-600-334466) to register any complaint. The number can be reached between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

There are significant differences between the conservancy staff of Onyx and those of the Corporation. Unlike the sweepers of the Corporation of Chennai, the Loose Litter Collectors of Onyx do not extend their palms during festivals for an ``annual consideration,'' said Ms.Swaminathan.

Whatever it is, the strike resulted in a stinking mess for three days, and the residents of various localities in the three zones said that the Corporation of Chennai did not send any vehicle to clear the mess. Mr. P.R. Shampath, Additional Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai told a different story. He vouched that the Corporation stepped in during the three days of strike to clear the garbage.

The Corporation pays a good sum for every tonne of garbage the Onyx dumps in Perungudi. CES-Onyx is paid Rs.648 per tonne of garbage the first year, Rs.720 per tonne the second year and Rs.760 a tonne the third year. After that the rates are supposed to be renegotiated, said Mr. Shampath.

Given that the Onyx collects an average of 1000 tonnes of garbage a day from the three zones, the inflow of funds is fairly impressive. Ms. Vidya Swaminathan responded with a smile to a query, saying, ``Of course, the company makes a margin. That is why it is here.'' Interestingly, the company has its operation only in Chennai, and despite its proclaimed work elsewhere in the world, it does not seem to have impressed other civic bodies in India.

The company is paid by the tonne. So it would tend to collect as much garbage as possible. One direct benefit of that is the zones are likely to be spotlessly clean. Even though the areas under the three zones were found to be far from being spotlessly clean, one could not deny that they were cleaner than areas served by the Corporation of Chennai.

The possibility of overestimating the quantity of garbage at the dumping ground was ruled out by Mr. Shampath who said, ``We have posted 10 corporation inspectors there to make sure that there is no foul play.'' The comment presumes that the inspectors cannot be tempted. A very strong assumption, given the reality of the probity of public servants.

What matters to the residents is, if the workers of CES-Onyx were to strike work again, would the Corporation step in to take care of the garbage?

And wouldn't it be sensible to invest the sum that is now paid to CES-Onyx, an MNC, and import some of the equipment like the ones Onyx uses? Can't the Corporation of Chennai discipline its regiment of conservancy staff to work? After all, it is always cheaper to make a pizza at home than to buy one from a corner or a hut.

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