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Ludhiana MC decides to increase tipping fee to continue garbage lifting ops
Final rate of tipping fee (rate per tonne for lifting garbage) has not yet been decided and the decision will be taken by mayor Balkar Sandhu
In a tight situation over solid waste management in the city after the existing contractor gave an ultimatum to stop the garbage lifting from Thursday if the tipping fee is not increased, the Ludhiana MC succumbed to the pressure and decided to accept the contractor’s demand.
But the rate of tipping fee (rate per tonne for lifting garbage) has not yet been decided and the final decision will be taken by mayor Balkar Sandhu, officials said.
Over 1,100 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the city on a daily basis and MC has been paying ₹324 per tonne as tipping fee to the company. Citing hike in diesel price and maintenance expenses, the company has now demanded that the civic body should at least pay ₹435 per tonne, otherwise it will stop the lifting process from July 1.
Mayor Sandhu had on Tuesday formed a committee of councillors and MC officials to look into the matter. The panel was asked to explore the viability of garbage lifting by MC on its own and look into the demand of the contractor.
Panel head senior deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra said they have decided that MC should continue with the contractor, otherwise the civic body will have to make huge investments and gather resources to deal with 1,100 MT garbage, which will take some time.
“The lifting of garbage will not be stopped and the same contractor will continue the work. The final decision regarding the rate (amount) of tipping fee to be paid to the contractor will be taken by mayor and MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal,” said Malhotra.
A2Z company had terminated its contract with the MC on February 4 and the latter made stopgap arrangements by roping in the third party to whom A2Z company had sublet the work of lifting garbage from the city.
