Tender for Rs. 59 crore project awarded to Andhra Pradesh firm

Mysore/Mysuru: An estimated seven lakh tonnes of legacy waste, left undisposed at Sewage Farm in Vidyaranyapuram for the past 20 years, will finally be cleared starting June 9.

The accumulated waste has been causing significant distress to residents grappling with the foul smell emanating from decaying garbage. The monsoon exacerbates the situation, as the garbage at the plant emits an unbearable stench, further worsened by the direct dumping of animal carcasses from slaughter houses.

The untreated waste has triggered widespread resentment among the community. Residents from Vidyaranyapuram, J.P. Nagar, Kanakagiri, Gundu Rao Nagar, Vishweshwaranagar and surrounding areas have been urging authorities to expedite the tender finalisation and clear the waste. A revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Rs. 59 crore project was submitted to Government to clear the mounds of waste scientifically.

The project was approved in a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government just before the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct  for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. Thus, the waste clearing will commence once the poll code    is lifted on June 4.

The delay in clearing the waste is also attributed to the formalities involved in undertaking such a large-scale project. The Deputy Commissioner can approve tenders up to Rs. 2 crore, while tenders worth up to Rs. 5 crore can be approved at the Divisional level.

However, with the tender for clearing the legacy waste estimated at Rs. 59 crore, the procedures related to technical and financial bids must be completed at the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) level before seeking the Government’s approval.

Krishnaraja (KR) MLA T.S. Srivatsa stated, “The tender process has been completed due to the special interest of Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha and former District Minister V. Somanna. The tender has been awarded to an Andhra Pradesh-based firm and the work on clearing the waste will formally begin with a special puja on June 9.”

According to the specifications in the DPR, the compost, soil, metal and plastic in the waste will be segregated to recycle those materials fit for use. However, a significant amount of plastic waste will be used in the production of cement. This initiative aims to clear the waste and realise the dream of making J.P. Nagar free from the waste menace.

An estimated 500 tonnes of waste is generated in the city daily, but only 250 tonnes are being disposed of, leaving the remaining 250 tonnes to add to the mounds of waste at the Sewage Farm over the last 20 years. Despite several efforts to find a solution, the accumulated waste has remained a persistent issue.