Kargi waste station operations hang in balance as MCD yet to decide future plan
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The future of operations at the Kargi mechanised waste transfer station hangs in the balance with just 15 days left before the extended operation period of Rasha Infrastructure and Services Limited (RISL) ends on September 30. The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) had allowed the company to continue operating the facility for one month after its contract expired on August 31. However, the civic body is yet to finalise whether it will take over operations directly or outsource them to another agency.
The chief municipal health officer Dr Anand Shukla said that no final decision had been taken so far and the corporation would assess the situation before the deadline. “We have not thought about anything yet. We will see what needs to be done on the last day,” he said. Shukla said that the MCD’s team was currently examining the machinery installed at the facility and assessing whether it could be operated effectively after RISL’s tenure ends. “Our mechanical team is studying everything at present. After the company’s term ends, the corporation will regulate the facility itself, but the actual operations may be outsourced,” he said.
The team is also examining the condition of the machines and trying to determine whether they can continue to be operated and why they were not used properly during RISL’s tenure, Shukla said. The Kargi station plays an important role in the city’s waste collection system and has three compactor machines. However, frequent technical problems have affected its functioning. When the compactors are not operational, garbage vehicles have to transport waste directly to the Sheeshambada waste treatment plant. This increases the time taken for each trip and can affect vehicle availability and the door-to-door waste collection cycle. With RISL’s extended operation period ending on September 30, the MCD has limited time to finalise an arrangement and ensure that the transition does not disrupt waste collection services across the city.
