As A2Z firm leaves, MC to take over solid waste management in Ludhiana

The A2Z company had in December 2020 served a self-termination notice to the civic body, stating that it will stop lifting of garbage in the city after February 4. The company officials said that among the main reasons behind serving the self termination notice, is the delay on part of MC in making monthly payment of around ₹1 crore to the company as tipping fee for transportation of garbage to the main dump site.

Failing to find a common ground with A2Z company on solid waste management in the city, the municipal corporation (MC) has decided to take matters in its own hands. From Thursday, the MC will be facing a herculean task of dealing with over 1, 100 metric tonnes of garbage generated in the city on a daily basis, on its own.

MC now faces a Herculean task of dealing with over 1, 100 metric tonnes of garbage on a daily basis, on its own. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

During a meeting called by mayor Balkar Sandhu, which was also attended by MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, civic body officials said on Tuesday that it will be a challenge for the MC to take over this task as it does not even have the machinery for lifting garbage from secondary dumping points. The MC will also have to make alternative arrangements for door-to-door lifting of garbage from around 30 wards (out of the total 95 in the city), from where garbage is being partially collected by the company. Civic body will also have to lift garbage from 45 secondary dumping points where household waste is dumped by waste collectors and shift it to the main dump site on Tajpur road. At the main dump site, the MC will have to run the static compactors and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant.

The A2Z company had in December 2020 served a self-termination notice to the civic body, stating that it will stop lifting of garbage in the city after February 4. The company had entered into a 25-year contract with the MC in 2011 for lifting of garbage in the city.

The company officials said that among the main reasons behind serving the self termination notice, is the delay on part of MC in making monthly payment of around ₹1 crore to the company as tipping fee for transportation of garbage to the main dump site. The company officials said that the payment was pending for the last six months when the notice was served to the MC. Also, the MC and Punjab Pollution Control Board are forcing the company to run the RDF plant at full capacity even when the civic body has failed to find a buyer for the RDF, they claimed.

The company has claimed ₹47 crore as compensation for investment done in the past. The MC is however expected to challenge the same in the court, said the officials.

Mayor Balkar Sandhu said, “We have been working to find a common ground and a meeting was also conducted with the company officials a few days ago to reach a compromise. But if the company steps back, MC will take up solid waste management in the city as the residents should not face any kind of harassment. We may also enter into ab agreement with some other company or service provider in the sector.”