The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : GHMC in a freeze over purchase of garbage vehicles

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Sunday, Jun 26, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

GHMC in a freeze over purchase of garbage vehicles

HYDERABAD: Rickety vehicles, their doors held with a crude cord, leaking undercarriages, which are ready for the junkyard; is it any surprise that these are GHMC garbage vehicles are carrying a mammoth 4,000 tonnes of garbage daily. More than 500 such vehicles criss-cross the twin cities either to and fro from the transfer stations as also the Jawaharnagar dump yard in two shifts.

There are three trips in each shift for the likes of bigger 25/10-tonne vehicles or seven trips in each shift for dumper placers.

Not only are these old vehicles gas guzzlers with high wear and tear, but a substantial number of them have to be replaced without further delay. Yet, the GHMC is avoiding buying new vehicles, and, instead, has been resorting to hiring of vehicles. In recent times, at least 18 bob carts, 22 dumper placers and other heavy duty vehicles have been contracted for hire.

The proposal to purchase more modern street sweeping machines to increase the existing eight vehicle fleet so that more number of manual road sweepers prone to mishaps can be taken off the main thoroughfares too has been put on hold. Besides, the corporators cutting across party lines clamouring for more bob carts to improve sanitation in the interiors is not being met. “Yes, there is an urgent need to tone up our sanitation fleet. We need several dumper placers, compactors and other vehicles as most of the existing ones need to be replaced. We also need at least another six sweeping machines to cover the main roads,” admit senior officials.

But, the policy freeze on procuring new vehicles is because of the Rs.900 crore Ramky deal for an Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management Project. However, due to court cases, the firm is restricted to activities at the dump yard only. As per the contract, all the existing fleet and equipment should be handed over to Ramky.

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Andhra Pradesh