Garbage scam: Mumbai civic body to bring in new tools to monitor waste transportation

Days after a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader alleged a Rs900-crore garbage scam, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has brought in more measures to monitor the transportation of waste from the source to the dumping ground.

Days after a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader alleged a Rs900-crore garbage scam, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has brought in more measures to monitor the transportation of waste from the source to the dumping ground.

The civic body will use the new vehicle tracking and management system (VTMS) at all three dumping grounds. (HT)

The civic body will use the new vehicle tracking and management system (VTMS) at all three dumping grounds – Deonar, Mulund and Kanjurmarg – on permanent basis to bring in transparency. The BMC first adopted the tracking system for the Deonar dump for three months.

Citizens will soon be able to access the system on the civic body’s website.

Other measures to curb alleged malpractices include clicking pictures of vehicles’ number plates at the entry and exit points of the dumping grounds and a real time weight of vehicles. This data will be accessible to citizens, said civic officials.

Sandeep Deshpande, MNS group leader, had raised the issue in the last week’s standing committee meeting.

The corporator alleged violations in the log-sheets of the vehicle tracking system (VTS) and fitness certificates for compactors.

Interestingly, a recent report by the test audit and vigilance officer (TAVO) department gave a clean-chit to waste contractors over similar irregularities.

Vijay Balamwar, deputy municipal commissioner, said, “The complaints against corporators were probed by the TAVO department and no substance was found.”

“However, we will conduct a detailed examination on additional complaints of the corporator,” he said.