CUTTACK: Legal tangle has virtually derailed implementation of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC)’s Integrated Solid Waste Management Project- 2016, slated to be a blueprint for better segregation and disposal of garbage from the city.
The civic body had planned to execute the project through a five-year contract with a private firm.
But the tender process has been inordinately delayed owing to successive disputes raised in the Odisha High Court.
No headway has been made since 2016 despite two attempts to select a private firm by inviting bids for execution of the project.
As things stand today, a fresh dispute over finalisation of tender is pending before the High Court after a stay order on proceedings related to it for the third time in three years.
The Corporation had first invited bids for execution of the project on July 5, 2016.
But the High Court issued a stay order on finalisation of tender on September 20, 2016 after a participating party challenged the process adopted while undertaking scrutiny of the bids received.
The High Court finally quashed the tender process nearly 10 months after fresh tenders were invited on September 5, 2017.
Though dispute was raised again over finalisation of tender in favour of a private party, the court gave a clean chit to it on May 11, 2018.
However, the CMC had to cancel the tender process on November 27, 2018 after the state government disapproved the tender finalised in favour of New Delhi-based Metro Waste Handling Pvt Limited (MWHPL).
The matter now has been caught in a fresh legal tangle with MWHPL challenging the State Government’s order for cancelling the tender process finalised in its favour by the CMC.
“Revised tender, as directed by the State Government, cannot be undertaken for executing the Integrated Solid Waste Management Project as the High Court has issued a stay order on it,” said a senior CMC official.
While issuing the stay order on May 13, the High Court has fixed July 15 for hearing on MWHPL’s petition.
However, the civic body will move the High Court for vacating of the stay order when it reopens after the summer vacation on June 17, the official added.
Implementation of the project assumes significance as it along with garbage collection and disposal, envisages mechanised sweeping, GPRS tracking system, biometric attendance system.
It will bring in a new set of regulations for better segregation and disposal of waste in the city, said officials.
Civic hurdle
CMC had planned to execute Integrated Solid Waste Management Project through a five-year contract with a private firm
The tender process has been inordinately delayed owing to successive disputes raised in the Orissa High Court
No headway has been made since 2016 despite two attempts to select a private firm by inviting bids for execution of the project
The project envisages mechanised sweeping, GPRS tracking system and biometric attendance system