GUWAHATI: Irked by untimely garbage collection by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (
GMC
) and excessive charges for collecting garbage, residents of the city urged the civic body to streamline the service immediately. They hoped the executive body, which will be formed after the polls on April 19, would address the issue in an urgent manner.
Even though the GMC claims that 90 NGOs have been collecting garbage from the doorstep on a contractual basis, residents of different areas, including
Fatasil Ambari
, Junali, Chatribari, Paltanbazar, Bharalumukh and Barsapara, claim that the service is very irregular.
“GMC’s garbage collection vehicle comes once in a week or two. Residents of the Fatasil Ambari area, which comes under GMC ward no 20, have urged the GMC to install sufficient garbage bins in the area so that people do not throw garbage into the Mora Bharalu, one of the five river channels of the city. Unfortunately, we have not seen any proper action from the concerned authority despite several complaints,” said
Arun Bhattacharjee, a local resident of Fatasil Ambari, who has been vocal against the garbage issue.
The GMC, which has cleared around 45,000 cubic meter of plastic waste and silt from the 575 drains and the five river channels in the city from December 25 last year till date, blamed the people saying that they throw garbage into the drains instead of using garbage bins.
In Garigaon under GMC ward no 1, irregular garbage collection and lack of dedicated place for throwing garbage have compelled people to throw refuse into the river posing a threat to aquatic life.
Residents also alleged that some NGOs have been charging more than the notified amount for collecting garbage.
Shristi
, an NGO, charges Rs 400-500 from an apartment and Rs 30 from individual residents. “The GMC notified amount is very little. It is not feasible to continue service as per the notified amount. The apartments are charged based on negotiations,” Mrinal Chakraborty, the owner of the NGO, said.
As per GMC notification issued in December 2014, an NGO can charge Rs 30 from an individual household and Rs 20 from each flat of an apartment.
GMC commissioner
Devasish Sharma
said a few NGOs are breaking rules. But we are helpless because if we take action, they will suspend service.
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