1 firm has half of city’s waste management projects

Two of the three dumping grounds in the city where irregularities in awarding contracts have come to light are being handled by the same contractor, United Phosphorus Ltd.

Two of the three dumping grounds in the city where irregularities in awarding contracts have come to light are being handled by the same contractor, United Phosphorus Ltd.

In fact, the contractor has been awarded over half — Rs 5,100 crore out of Rs 9,500 crore — of the city’s waste management projects. Even the closure of the Deonar dumping ground is being done by UPL, leading experts to question why the contractor has been favoured.

Besides, a major part of the cost at both Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds will be cleared through ‘tipping fees’, paid by per tonne of garbage processed instead of a lump sum, a concept which many think is outdated. Retired deputy municipal commissioner Prakash Sanglikar said: “The civic body should have gone in for bodies like the Natio-nal Building Construction Company, which had offered to carry out the work for free.”

While additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani could not be reached for comment, UPL sources said: “We don’t react to such speculation.”