BHUBANESWAR: With the new agencies roped in under a fresh sanitation plan unable to start their operations, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is struggling to tackle the severe garbage disposal crisis in the Capital city, has extended the tenure of the old agencies by two months to carry on with their services as per the existing structure.
The two agencies -- Jagruti and PMR Consortium -- have been given extension till October-end. Both the agencies are managing sanitation operations in over 50 per cent of city’s wards. After dividing the City under 10 sanitation packages this year, the civic body roped in seven new agencies who were supposed to start their operations by this month. Officials, however, said the sanitation work has been started only in two packages so far.
Ourland Engineering Works Pvt Limited, one of the new agencies, is managing sanitation service in seven wards while another Green Circle Environment Pvt Limited is providing sanitation service in six wards.
With the city facing acute waste management crisis, the issue has become a matter of concern for the BMC. The civic body is still uncertain as to when sanitation work will start in the remaining eight packages.
While there is a stay order on commencement of operation by the new agencies in three packages, other firms have also not been able to provide sanitation service in the remaining five packages, allegedly due to inadequate resources. BMC deputy commissioner Suvendu Sahoo said they have asked the agencies awarded work in five packages to start their service by October first week.
“Appropriate steps will be taken if they fail to start service within the given timeline,” Sahoo said. The civic body has already issued show cause to one of the new agencies for its poor sanitation service.