With only a few days left to implement the new rule - compulsory segregation of waste at source-councillors, seemed to be disinterested in passing the new garbage bylaw in the council.
At a special meeting held on Friday to discuss the new garbage by-law, councillors seemed to be more interested in opposing the garbage tender that was floated on Tuesday midnight.
Ruling party leader Nagaraju alleged that there were no changes in the conditions of the new tender.
“The tender has been called for, from the class one contractors. The tender document has a reference to the experience of sweepers and RC book of transporting lorries. Bidders have been asked to produce a solvency certificate of Rs 50,000 per ward. This will only encourage the old contractors who are part of garbage mafia to participate in the tender process. New bidders are unlikely to participate,” he claimed.
He added there are only 200 Class One contractors, 500 Class Two contractors and more than 3,000 Class Three contractors in the city. “Why can’t the tender be modified and allow Class Three contractors to participate in the process? They can be given a ward,” he suggested.
‘Engagement after Wedding’
Opposition leader M K Gunashekar, adrressing Commissioner Goel said, “When you have taken the state government’s approval, why are you bringing up the topic in the council now? This is like conducting an engagement after the wedding is over. What is the need to call for the tender in haste?”
“This is violation of Karnataka Muncipal Corporation Act. The KMC is supreme. If any project is pending before the council for more than three months, the commissioner has powers to take state government’s approval. In this case, the matter was not discussed before the council at all,” he accused.