BMC starts third party audit for slum garbage collection

The third party audit will be done by the All India Institute of Local Self Governance (AIILSG). Pic\Representational picture

Seven years after the introduction of Swachcha Mumbai Prabodhan Abhiyan, the civic body has finally decided to evaluate the garbage collection system in slum areas. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will take a final decision on altering the current system, payment method and introduction of a completely new scheme depending on the outcome of a third party audit.

The BMC has appointed NGOs and self-help groups (SHGs) to collect garbage in slum areas under the Swachcha Mumbai Prabodhan Abhiyan. The work includes door-to-door waste collection, cleaning of drains, composting and even elimination of mosquito breeding spots.

There is a one-person (unit) per 750 people or 150 homes and the city has 10,416 people for collection of garbage from slums. BMC pays R5,400 as an allowance per unit. "The person who collects garbage gets R180 per day by the civic body while the nullah cleaning worker gets R700 per day. So how will one find workers to help under the Vasti Swachchhta Yojana?" asked Rajul Patel, corporator from Jogeshwari, who raised the issue of wages in the BMC frequently. She added that workers should be paid R625 per day.

When asked, an official attached to the Solid Waste Management Department of the BMC said, "Many issues are raised about the quality of work done under the scheme. Additionally, there are issues about low allowance, too. So, we decided to do a third party audit to decide on the scheme."

The third party audit will be done by the All India Institute of Local Self Governance (AIILSG). The BMC will pay R23 lakh for the evaluation process. After this, the civic administration will decide whether to apply changes to the existing system or start a new system altogether for garbage collection in slum areas. The civic body launched a new scheme under Swachcha Mumbai Prabodhan Abhiyan to break the monopoly of organisations.

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