Bengaluru: Tenders to collect wet and dry waste have been put on hold. Mayor Gangambike told Deccan Chronicle that an all-party meeting of corporators will be called and a committee set up to decide the new guidelines for the tenders. Dry waste collection under the present tender will be handed over to rag-pickers, but the mayor doubts whether they will be able to collect dry waste regularly. She fears that if they don’t, then the waste will end up on city streets defeating the very purpose of the tenders.
Mayor Gangambike said, “Many corporators have expressed their dissatisfaction over the guidelines in the separate garbage tender."
She said, “As per the present tender format, wet and dry waste was to be collected separately and rag-pickers to be roped in to collect dry waste. We don’t know whether rag-pickers will go door-to-door to collect dry waste. The mentality of the public is not to keep dry waste accumulating at their homes, and they will throw it immediately on the streets, defeating the purpose of making the city clean and free from black spots.”
She said, “I have called for an all-party meeting on Tuesday and a committee will be set up to formulate the guidelines suitable for the city and the habits of the people.”
Further, another guideline that majority have disagreed with is the tender period of one year. “Which contractor will agree to invest on the infrastructure to collect garbage just for one year? What if he fails to get the contract for next year? This will prevent contractors from participating and we suggest that the tender be for at least two to three years,” she said.
“The committee will have corporators from all parties to prevent the criticism that we are favouring our party wards by awarding them more autos for garbage collection than others and other general criticism. We have experienced corporators who have held the Mayor’s post too. We hope to find a solution to all the issues with guidelines and finish the garbage tenders before the model code of conduct for general elections kicks in,” she said.
