Date:18/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/18/stories/2006081825130300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Corpn. drops move to privatise waste management

Special Correspondent

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation placed before its Council on Thursday its decision to drop the move to privatise waste management in South Zone. Instead, it planned to open a few areas to voluntary organisations and self-help groups (SHGs) experienced in door-to-door collection of segregated garbage and cleaning of roads and storm water drains.

The Corporation said in a resolution that the move to totally privatise waste management (from collection to disposal) was taken in 2003. A resolution on privatisation was ratified by the Council on September 29 that year and tenders called for from private parties in 2005.

With the State Government lifting the ban on recruitment, it provided scope for absorbing 757 temporary workers to increase the strength of sanitary workers and step up conservancy work across the city.

The areas to be opened for voluntary organisations and SHGs were Race Course and surrounding areas, Oppanakara Street, Big Bazaar Street, Nanjappa Road, Cross Cut Road, 100 Feet Road, Nawab Hakkim Road, Avanashi Road, Tiruchi Road and Mettupalayam Road. Night conservancy work would also be carried out on these roads.

Containers

As part of its waste management efforts, the Coimbatore Corporation planned to buy more containers to store garbage across the city. A resolution for this was moved in the Corporation Council's Urgent Meeting on Thursday. The resolution said that the civic body had earmarked Rs.50 lakh to purchase 100 containers.

Discussions on waste management led to a furore over many conservancy workers and garbage containers being concentrated in one ward. Councillors accused the Health Committee chairperson, C. Jayalakshmi, of getting nearly 60 sanitary workers posted in her ward (no.34).

Ms. Jayalakshmi denied the charges even as the other members took the matter to the Deputy Mayor, K. Raghupathy and the Commissioner, P. Muthuveeran, for action.