VIJAYAWADA: Works on the biomining project coming up at Ajith Singh Nagar are progressing at a snail’s pace, drawing severe criticism from the local residents.
For the last several years, the residents have been facing discomfort due to the foul smell emanating from the dumping yard here. Following representations from the residents on several occasions, the civic body officials finally came up with the biomining project for addressing the garbage problem.The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has entrusted the task to Kumbakonam-based Zigma Global Environ Solutions to dispose of over 2.5 lakh tonnes of unprocessed garbage that has been accumulated over the past few years at the 32-acre dump yard in Ajith Singh Nagar.
In December 2017, IT Minister Nara Lokesh laid foundation stone for the project at the Excel Plant situated on the premises of the dumping yard. The project was aimed at disposing around 100 tonnes of garbage a day. However, inordinate delay in the project has made residents angry.
The civic body has allocated Rs 9 crore under the 12th Finance Commission and the remaining Rs 5 crore from its general funds for the project.However, with the inordinate delay, the project cost has been escalated to Rs 24.95 crore from the proposed Rs 14 crore.Interestingly, none of the ruling TDP corporators has objected to the project cost escalation, which was approved by the municipal council recently despite severe criticism from the Opposition YSRC corporators.
“On what basis the civic body officials had estimated that 2.5 lakh tonnes of garbage was piled up in the dumping yard? The firm which is carrying out the works is not even allowing media representatives to enter the yard. Why are the VMC officials and Zigma company representatives maintaining secrecy over the issue?” asked a YSRCP floor leader B Punyaseela.
When contacted, a VMC official said, “The project cost was estimated at Rs 21 crore during the Request for Proposal (RFP). With inclusion of GST, it has reached Rs 24 crore. With shortage of funds, initially it was estimated to complete the project with Rs 14 crore.”
“We estimated that around 700 kgs of garbage was piled up per cubic meter area in the dumping yard and instructed the firm to process at least 50-70 tonnes garbage per day. The works will gain momentum soon as the company is procuring heavy machinery from South Korea,” said a senior VMC official on condition of anonymity.
Cost escalation
Estimated cost: Rs 14 crore
Escalated cost: Rs 24 crore
2.5 lakh tonnes of garbage piled up in the dumping yard