Despite Delhi HC order, civic body sits on plan to beautify Shahjahanabad

In its latest letter, sent on September 23, the SRDC also suggested a slew of measures to prevent the spread of diseases and maintain hygiene on the lanes, roads and pavements in the walled city area

Officials are yet to prepare the ambitious plan to clean and beautify Shahjahanabad as the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has not submitted its solid waste management plan to the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC).

In its latest letter, sent on September 23, the SRDC also suggested a slew of measures to prevent the spread of diseases and maintain hygiene on the lanes, roads and pavements in the walled city area (Hindustan Times)

Following an order passed by the Delhi high court in May, the corporation was to come up with a proper plan for coordinated effort to remove garbage from the area on a regular basis. However, six months have passed and the civic body has not responded to its request despite frequent reminders by the SRDC, said a source in the Delhi government.

In its latest letter, sent on September 23, the SRDC also suggested a slew of measures to prevent the spread of diseases and maintain hygiene on the lanes, roads and pavements in the walled city area. The suggestions include creation of underground dumpyard and app-based bins with a provision to incentivise people, like free Wi-Fi, to encourage them to dispose of garbage properly.

“The suggestion for partnership with start-ups, which are working on collection of recyclable garbage or scientific disposal of garbage for a pilot project in area, also seems to be yet considered by municipal authorities,” said the letter, sent by Nitin Panigrahi, deputy general manager, project and administration (SRDC). Panigrahi is also a nodal officer for the redevelopment of Shahjahanabad.

Web links of videos explaining how the ‘smart trash-bins’ work have been mentioned in the letter sent to the additional commissioner, department of environment management services (DEMS), NDMC and director-in-chief (DEMS).

However, a senior official of DEMS said all the information required by SRDC had been provided and reply to all queries raised by the corporation had been submitted by the city zone last month. “This includes the information about solid waste management plan and sites finalised for introducing toll-free SMS services,” he said.

Panigrahi said, “The social cost benefit analysis of such initiative under Swachch Bharat Abhiyan is likely to weigh in favour of technological intervention as it can certainly help in cutting servicing costs, eliminating wasteful practices, streamlining business process for effective monitoring and evaluation of work assigned to private concessionaire or contractors while bringing change in social behaviour through incentivising.”