The dream of spick-and-span roads may soon come true for Patna residents but at the cost of suffering of villagers on the outskirts of the city.

Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo) has started the bidding process for the selection of firms that would cart garbage from 62 wards of the state capital and dump it at the landfill site, Ramachak Bairiya village, on the southern fringes of the city. The firm would also develop and operate an integrated solid waste-processing complex at the village.

The corporation, however, is yet to get an environmental clearance from the Central Pollution Control Board for the site, around two to three kilometres from Zero Mile on the Patna-Gaya road. At present, garbage up to 1,200 metric tonnes is being dumped every day at Ramachak Bairiya. Distressed with the numerous problems triggered by the tonnes of waste, residents of the neighbouring areas have knocked on the doors of the judiciary and the state human rights commission.

“Around 20,000 villagers of Kanauji, Kachuwada, Bairiya, Manpur-Bairiya, Illahibag, Chakvairia, Karnpura and Sitjaunchauk villages are suffering because of the stench, regular outbreak of fires and unprecedented rise in the number of flies and mosquitoes. We lodged a complaint with Bihar State Human Rights Commission in October last year and filed a petition in Patna High Court in the last week of November,” said Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Bairiya Karnpura village.

In its defence, BUIDCo claimed that it was performing its duty just as a contractor and has a no-objection certificate (NOC) from Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC).

“We have started the process of developing the waste-management facility at Ramachak-Bairiya only after getting an NOC from the civic body. Our job is to carry out the bidding process for the selection of the firm,” said a senior officer of BUIDCo.

The corporation was issued the NOC on December 1, 2011.

Asked about the necessary environmental clearance that Bihar State Pollution Control Board has been reiterating, Chandrama Singh, the additional municipal commissioner, said: “The no-objection certificate issued to the BUIDCo by the civic body has no mention of an environmental clearance. If the state pollution control board is making such claims (environmental clearance) they would know better about it.”

BUIDCo issued a notice inviting tenders on March 28.

The BUIDCo officer said: “On behalf of the PMC, we have issued the notice inviting tenders. The selected firm or firms would have to collect garbage from the primary (door-to-door) and secondary (from waste bins) sources. They would also have to take care of the treatment and disposal of the waste. Our role is limited only to the selection of the firm. The PMC would administer the routine garbage collection in the state capital.”

He said: “Upon the selection of the firm, a tripartite agreement would be signed. BUIDCo would perform its responsibilities till the completion of the construction period. Any litigation prior to or after the commencement of the project would have to be handled by the PMC as it has been designated as the administrator for it.”

The BUIDCo officer added: “The last date for submission of bids is May 14. The work would be awarded to the selected firm by the end of the month. They would probably start collecting garbage from June.”