Ramky Group’s contract may be scrapped
Ramky was served notice by the PCB in 2014 for multiple violations of environmental laws
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-06-11 01:57 GMT
Hyderabad: The state government will send the MoU with the Ramky Group to its legal department to study its service terms before scrapping it. The government is contemplating the take-over of disposal of garbage, which is done by Ramky, by GHMC workers. The GHMC plans to procure 25,000 additional rickshaws to improve the garbage collection system. The government is also firm on introducing the door-to-door, two-bin garbage collection system. TRS Rajya Sabha member K. Keshav Rao said that none of the public representatives were happy with the job Ramky was doing. “The earlier government had entered into an agreement with Ramky only for diposal of garbage, which was being done in a very unscientific manner. It is a private operator, however, one should have social responsibility,” he said. He said the GHMC unions were also opposed to the Ramky deal.
On replacing Ramky, Dr Keshav Rao said the government needs to check the legalities of the agreement. He noted that the state government has to first streamline the collection and transportation of garbage. “The GHMC has to procure 2,500 rickshaws and more vehicles to transport the garbage,” he said. BJP state president G. Kishan Reddy said, “Before cancelling the agreement, the government should first chalk out an alternative to deal with garbage disposal. Up to 3,500 metric tonnes of garbage is generated every day, and the government has to put in place a better solid waste management system.”
Despite opposition from employee unions, the GHMC under the erstwhile government of United AP handed over the job of disposal of garbage to Ramky. Two other contracts of door-to-door collection of garbage and transportation are still pending; the GHMC had contemplated handing over these services in 2013.
Ramky was served notice by the Pollution Control Board in 2014 for multiple violations of environmental laws and causing health hazards, when the TSPCB examined the dumping site.