Patna, Oct. 25: The high court today directed Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) to pay the private sanitation service provider — A2Z Infrastructure Private Limited — 75 per cent of its dues within four days.

The order on the eve of Diwali assumes significance as the company is expected to start removing solid waste in the run-up to Chhath, the most popular festival of Bihar.

A bench of Justice S.N. Hussain passed the direction hearing a petition filed by A2Z Infrastructure Private Limited seeking direction to PMC and the authorities concerned to clear its Rs 7.62 crore dues.

“PMC is directed to make payment of 75 per cent of the total billed amount by October 29 and if the payment is not made by the said date, strict action will be taken against the authorities concerned,” the court said in its interim order.

The court, however, made it clear that the order to pay 75 per cent of dues to A2Z would be subject to the final outcome of the writ petition. It directed the PMC to file a counter affidavit by November 14, the next date of hearing.

The company, which has also undertaken the work of solid waste management in Indore, Lucknow, Kanpur, Ranchi and Darbhanga, has prayed to the court that it be paid accumulated dues of Rs 7.62 crore with 18 per cent interest.

The petition filed through advocate Anurag Saurav submitted that PMC had not paid single penny to the company for 19 months.