PNS | DEHRADUN
In a stern message to sanitation companies, Dehradun district magistrate and the administrator of the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) Savin Bansal emphasised that waste management is not just a business but a matter directly impacting public health and lives. He warned companies to fulfill their contractual obligations or face severe consequences, including termination of contracts.
Chairing a review meeting on Dehradun’s sanitation and street lighting systems at the MCD office, Bansal expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of several sanitation companies. He instructed them to increase resources or deploy their existing workforce and vehicles more efficiently to meet the demands. “If the companies fail to improve their performance within 15 days, tender processes for managing the remaining 53 wards will be initiated,” he said.
Bansal also directed the companies, Econ Waste Management and Sunlight, to strictly adhere to their agreements, including deploying the requisite manpower and vehicles. Any failure to meet these conditions, he warned, would necessitate double-duty operations on their existing routes to ensure proper waste collection. Regarding the companies’ request for an increase in financial support, Bansal asked the municipal authorities to examine the legal feasibility of such a proposal. However, he made it clear that the primary focus was on maintaining cleanliness and protecting public health, not on penalising companies unnecessarily.
Bansal criticised the management of the solid waste management and recycling plant in Sheeshambada for failing to dispose of waste as per prescribed standards. He summoned senior officials from the companies involved and warned of termination if they failed to appear within a week. He also instructed the MCD officials to impose penalties on the companies concerned for their lapses in waste disposal.
Bansal also reviewed the city’s lighting system. He was informed that 26,852 streetlights had been repaired since October 1 including 4,072 complaints addressed through various channels, including the CM Helpline and the control room. Bansal directed the representatives of the lighting maintenance company to ensure timely repairs and avoid any backlog in pending complaints.
