PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The immediate crisis over the operation of the Kargi mechanised waste transfer station has been resolved, with Rasha Infrastructure and Services Limited (RISL) agreeing to continue operations for another month. The decision was taken at a meeting involving officials of the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD), Dehradun Smart City Limited and Rasha on Tuesday, following the expiry of the company’s contract on August 31. The meeting was chaired by Dehradun municipal commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey, during which the functioning of company, available resources and service arrangements were reviewed. It was decided that the company would continue operating the Kargi station till September 30. During this period, the civic body will work out a permanent arrangement for running the facility, either by taking over its operations itself or handing them over to another agency.
The corporation also directed the company to ensure adequate availability of manpower, vehicles and other necessary resources during the notice period and maintain the required service level. Regular monitoring of the operations has also been stressed.
The meeting also decided that the company would be paid for two months following directions from the Dehradun district magistrate. The corporation had withheld the company’s payments for nearly nine months, citing shortcomings in its functioning. The company had subsequently expressed its inability to continue operations without payment, raising concerns over the functioning of the crucial waste transfer station after the expiry of its contract.
The condition of the Kargi station has also remained a major concern. Three compactor machines are installed at the facility, of which only one is currently operational. Frequent breakdowns have disrupted operations and resulted in garbage accumulating at the station.
The problem also directly affects the city’s door-to-door waste collection system. When the compactors stop functioning, garbage vehicles have to be sent directly to the Sheeshambada waste treatment plant, affecting vehicle availability and disrupting the overall waste collection cycle.
The chief municipal health officer Dr Anand Shukla said that RISL has been asked to continue operations for another month, while the MCD is working towards establishing a permanent arrangement for running the facility.
Once the new agency or alternative arrangement is implemented, RISL will be required to hand over all relevant records, data, vehicles, equipment and other resources related to the operations. The Corporation will monitor the transition and handover process to ensure that citizen services remain uninterrupted. The one-month extension has provided temporary relief, but the corporation now has till September 30 to put in place a reliable system and prevent technical failures and operational disputes from once again disrupting Dehradun’s waste management system.
