Rs 1 lakh per garbage bin? Chennai corporation deal smells of scam

CHENNAI: Just how shamelessly greedy can people in public office get? Well, till they raise a real stink.

The Corporation of Chennai has scandalously claimed that in some localities , it spent more than 1 lakh for each of its blue 'group garbage bins' - those completely pointless, ramshackle structures made of recycled metal sheets that have encroached upon the city's roads and footpaths - in which workers place the smaller, green garbage bins.

By no stretch of imagination could one of these group garbage bins cost more than a few hundred rupees to assemble, perhaps as much as 1,000.

But data obtained from the corporation through an Right to Information petition shows that the Madhavaram zone spent 23.08 lakh for 20 group bins, or 1.15 lakh per bin. Officials in Tondiarpet zone said they acquired 102 group bins for 1.11 crore, spending an average of 1.08 lakh per bin.

Of the corporation officials of five zones that responded to the RTI query, those in Teynampet made the least outrageous claim. They said they spent 70.83 lakh for 154 bins, or close to 46,000 per bin.

Officials of the Manali and Sholinganallur zones said that they had not purchased any group bins, and claimed no expense on that account.

Firms to submit bids for turning waste to energy

The Chennai Corporation will soon request proposals from the six companies it shortlisted to set up waste-to-energy plants in Minjur and Kuthambakkam.

A technical committee, comprising officials from the corporation and Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited , and a representative of consultant Wilbur Smith, is likely to ask the firms to give a written confirmation of the amount of power the plants will be able to generate and the impact on the environment.

Sources said Ramky Enviro Engineers, Essel Infrastructure, Trimex Industries, Pace Power Systems, Prathiba Satheram GDE-EGIS and Loro-E nviro Power were shortlisted. The committee has found that Pace Power Systems has proposed technology to incinerate garbage.

The panel has decided to consider it only if it includes an integrated waste management system. "We want to adopt technology that will cause minimal or no pollution because TNPCB shot down earlier proposals to set up plants in Perungudi," said an official.

The civic body had invited firms to set up integrated solid waste management plants that will dispose nondegradable and non-recyclable waste without residue.

The idea is to aim for scientific closure of Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dumping grounds. The proposed project is expected to bring relief to residents who live in Kodungaiyur and Perungudi.