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The comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) has found gross irregularities in the waste management system of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) in terms of both efficiency and monetary affairs.
The auditors reviewed the process “during October to December 2007 through a test check of records of the CMC headquarters, eight boroughs, four garages, dumping sites at Dhapa and Garden Reach, state pollution control board, environment department and Chittaranjan Cancer Research Institute” and filed a report around mid-March.
The report pointed out that a scientific landfill site was supposed to be ready by December 31, 2002, according to provisions in Central Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2000, but the CMC failed to meet the deadline. The civic body also failed to meet other deadlines specified by the rules till December last year.
“A project report containing a proposal for a landfill at Dhapa was forwarded in 2005 to state pollution control board in spite of the fact that the site falls within the wetlands identified for conservation under Ramsar Convention (from) 2002,” stated the report, a copy of which is with Metro.
Collection of waste from houses was “not regular and satisfactory”. Reducing, recycling and reusing of waste was made impossible by non-segregation at source, the report said, citing examples.
“Service was not provided in 106 kilometre in four wards (ward 106 to 109). Scrutiny revealed that 45 per cent houses of borough IV remained unattended. Service was provided thrice in a week in 11 wards though contractors were engaged for daily collection,” stated the report, hinting at a nexus between contractors and civic monitoring staff.
The comparative cost of waste transportation by the CMC was found to be “more than two times that of private agency”. In 2005-06, contractors disposed of on an average 2,085 tonnes of waste daily for an annual cost of Rs 9.99 crore. During the same period, the CMC staff disposed of 1,166 tonnes of waste per day for an annual cost of Rs 13.33 crore.
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