₹216 crore spent on waste collection in six years, yet…!

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The municipal corporation has spent an enormous amount of funds, totaling Rs 216 crore over the past six years, aiming to keep Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar the tourism capital clean and beautiful. Despite this heavy expenditure, garbage bins are still seen scattered across many public places in the city. The private contractor, Reddy Company, assigned for waste collection, has failed to achieve 100% door-to-door collection.

The Central Government conducts an annual ‘Swachh Survekshan’ (Cleanliness Survey) to assess cities. According to the survey criteria, the city fails to secure the expected marks, causing its ranking to fluctuate each year. The administration routinely announces ambitious plans to bring the city into the ‘Top Ten’ list but falls short in actual implementation. Questions remain unanswered—why does cleanliness not improve? Why do citizens continue to dump garbage at street corners, junctions, and drains? The administration has largely ignored these concerns.

Currently, 20% of citizens do not separate wet and dry waste, causing difficulties in waste processing.

Failure of reddy company despite large payments

Six years ago, the municipal corporation appointed the Reddy Company for waste collection. The company is paid Rs 1,860 per ton of collected waste, receiving Rs 3 crore monthly. Over 72 months (six years), payments totaling Rs 216 crore have been made to the company. The company claims to collect 450 metric tons of waste daily. However, the corporation has never independently verified whether this volume is accurate.

Insufficient Garbage Trucks

For a population of 1.8 million, there are only 300 garbage trucks. Although the corporation demands an increase in the number of trucks, the company has not responded. Garbage heaps are visible in Zones 1, 2, and 3 of the city. These areas do not receive 100% door-to-door collection, and in many places, garbage trucks do not arrive daily, forcing citizens to dispose of waste anywhere.

New tender soon

Taking previous experience into account, the administration will soon issue a new tender. The contract with Reddy Company ends next year, and before that, a new and more efficient company will be appointed.

— Vijay Patil, Solid Waste Management Head, Municipal Corporation