City’s sanitation overhaul puts efficiency in the spotlight

letters@htlive.com

LUCKNOW: Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has embarked on a transformative journey to revolutionise the sanitation system of the city. Under the new approach, LMC adopted a much more effective system for garbage collection and cleaning of wards by hiring a private firm, with payments to be released based on various new parameters.

“Learning from past mistakes, we have shifted from the traditional way to a service-based approach and hired Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited to operate in five zones. LMC will pay the company after assessing the weight of solid waste collected from every house and street. The payment will be determined based on the weight, with more weight resulting in a higher payment,” said Municipal Commissioner Inderjeet Singh.

“Payments to the company will be released after technology-driven verification, combined with physical inspections by the project implementation unit. We will use the latest technology like drones and satellite imaging and ensure that payments are directly linked to the efficiency and effectiveness of the sanitation services provided by the outsourcing company,” he added.

Out of the 11,350 sanitation workers associated with LMC, only 3,500 are on the official payroll, while the rest are outsourced from various agencies.

“The global tenders for the remaining three zones, encompassing 35 wards, are set to be released on Thursday. Companies qualifying for the tender in these zones are required to absorb LMC’s on-roll sanitation workers, providing an opportunity for the outsourcing companies to leverage the skills of the existing municipal staff,” Singh explained.

Singh further said that LMC is committed to ensuring cleanliness in every colony within its municipal limits. The new model also addresses LMC’s concerns regarding monitoring the number of sanitation workers and handling salary payments, as these responsibilities now fall under the purview of the contracted company.