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LMC to hire eight companies to improve Lucknow’s ranking in cleanliness survey
Presently, the eight zones in the city’s municipal jurisdiction are cleaned by 38 small firms involving 8,500 sanitation workers.
LUCKNOW The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has decided to change its approach towards cleanliness to ensure better results in the next Swachh Survekshan index.
Presently, the eight zones in the city’s municipal jurisdiction are cleaned by 38 small firms involving 8,500 sanitation workers. The LMC spends about ₹140 crore on these companies. However, surprise inspections often reveal littering and other cleanliness-related issues. Besides, the LMC repeatedly gets complaints regarding less payment of wages to employees, and non-payment of EPF and ESI dues to sanitation workers.
Therefore, the LMC has now decided to award contracts to eight big companies -- one for each zone -- to clean the city. The process will be undertaken through the Global Tender System at Gem Portal, said additional municipal commissioner Pankaj Singh. He added, “The new system is expected to improve the city’s ranking. Our municipal corporation was ranked 17th this year. This needs to be improved.”
Initially, the proposed measure faced resistance from some corporators and corporators which is why it was put on hold but the LMC now has a better shot at implementing the new step as the term of corporators will end on January 19.
Incidentally, most of the companies engaged in sanitation work are run by politicians, relatives of corporators, or civic employees. Several of them are allegedly involved in corrupt practices. While they show a high number of staffers on paper, only a few people work for these companies in reality.
Blacklisted companies won’t get to participate in tender process
LUCKNOW The companies which have been blacklisted by the municipal corporation and the government will not be able to participate in the proposed tender process. Also, contractor companies will have to pay salaries to employees on the 5th of every month along with their EPF and ESI contribution. The company will also have to pay 18% interest if the salary is not paid on time. The city mayor and the municipal commissioner will take action against the company if negligence is found in their work.
