The Hindu : Corpn. to probe Onyx 'mixing debris with garbage'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Corpn. to probe Onyx 'mixing debris with garbage'

By Saptarshi Bhattacharya

Chennai April 27. Top officials of the Chennai Corporation, during a `surprise' inspection on Sunday, detected lorry-loads of debris allegedly being mixed with garbage by Onyx, the private company carrying out conservancy in parts of the city, to show extra tonnage.

Based on a `specific complaint', the officials visited a transfer station, used for transferring garbage of Mylapore Zone, at Natesan Colony. As they were on their way out, a lorry laden with debris entered the station. On enquiry, it was revealed that the load was brought for mixing with the garbage so that the company had extra tonnes to show on record.

The act, the officials said, was clearly in violation of the terms agreed upon. There were specific complaints that Onyx was bringing truck-loads of rubble and building construction rudiments from various parts of the city and mixing it with the rubbish in the transfer station to increase the tonnage of garbage cleared everyday. The company was being paid Rs. 700 by the Corporation for every tonne of garbage it cleared daily, a system which was faulted even when it was introduced due to the emphasis it placed on generating greater amount of waste for economic viability.

The Corporation Commissioner, M. Kalaivanan, who led the inspection, said a report to the effect would be sent to the Government before further action was taken. It was also seeking legal advice pertaining to relevant clauses of the agreement.

The lorry driver, initially not knowing the identity of the Corporation officials, said he had been given a target of about five truckloads of debris everyday. He had brought this particular consignment from a place near Rajarathinam stadium which, the Commissioner said, came under Nungambakkam Zone where Onyx was not involved in conservancy operations.

Though there were many complaints against Onyx about debris being mixed with garbage, this time a petition was received from a person. On checking the records, it was found that the entry of vehicle movements maintained by the Corporation indicated debris-laden lorries coming in. In the entry register maintained by Onyx, it was mentioned as `mixed garbage', Mr. Kalaivanan said. "It seems that they purchase debris from all over the city and bring them to the transfer stations to be mixed with garbage", he added.

The Vigilance Department of the Corporation has been asked to conduct an enquiry into it. The Joint Commissioner, Apoorva, was present during the inspection.

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Corpn. to probe Onyx 'mixing debris with garbage'