HYDERABAD: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged financial irregularities and operational gaps in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Telangana, with major deficiencies in solid waste management (SWM), fund utilisation and monitoring.
The report for the period ending March 2022 covered areas including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Khammam, Peerzadiguda, Bollaram, Chandur, Haliya, Kalwakurthy, Khanapur, Kothagudem, Mahbubnagar, Mancherial, Nagaram, Wardhannapet, Yellareddy and Zaheerabad. The report, tabled in the Assembly on Monday, noted the absence of a clear policy framework and weak implementation of waste segregation, recycling and scientific disposal.
The audit found that GHMC paid Rs 313.20 crore for treatment and disposal of 44.16 lakh MT of dry waste between February 2012 and July 2020, despite the concessionaire not processing the waste.
It also reported non-realisation of tipping fee dues. An amount of Rs 19.34 crore was receivable from nine surrounding ULBs and one gram panchayat as on March 31, 2022, while Rs 28.43 crore was due from Secunderabad Cantonment Board as of September 2023. The absence of year-wise data led to a financial burden of Rs 47.77 crore on GHMC.
The CAG noted that the concessionaire failed to create an environmental protection fund, as mandated under clearance conditions for the waste-to-energy plant.
In another lapse, GHMC did not fully collect user charges from Railway authorities. With two stations generating 739 kg of waste daily, charges of Rs 30.37 lakh were payable, but only part was collected, resulting in a shortfall of Rs 21.59 lakh.
Across the state, ULBs failed to remit library cess amounting to Rs 324.96 crore, violating provisions of the Telangana Public Libraries Act, 1960. GHMC also incurred a revenue loss of Rs 2.29 crore due to incorrect levy of environment impact fee.
The report noted that the state government did not allocate landfill sites in 14 ULBs even five years after notification of SWM Rules, 2016, resulting in over 50% of unprocessed waste being dumped openly.
The state SWM policy (September 2018) did not clearly define roles for monitoring agencies or outline waste reduction measures such as reduce, reuse and recycle. ULBs also failed to make adequate financial provisions for SWM or engage private agencies for processing.
No state policy for construction and demolition (C&D) waste management had been notified as of September 2023. While GHMC set up processing plants, other ULBs neither identified disposal sites nor prepared plans. Monitoring by the pollution control board and local committees remained inadequate.
However, the CAG noted good practices at the Jawaharnagar facility and at Fathullaguda and Jeedimetla C&D plants, including infrastructure such as weighbridges, green cover and safety equipment.