Private conservancy players of GCC to collect trash from bulk waste generators in Chennai

Private conservancy operators of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) are likely to start collecting garbage from large apartment complexes, IT buildings, and large commercial buildings that generate huge quantities of waste.

The bulk waste generators will no longer have to process waste on their own premises or hand over waste to other empanelled small vendors once the GCC gives its approval to two major private conservancy operators to collect waste from large buildings with an area of over 5,000 sq. m., and buildings that generate 100 kg of waste per day, civic officials said.

Those bulk operators who are already processing waste on their premises will continue to do decentralised waste processing. According to the existing rules, bulk waste generators have to make arrangements for decentralised processing of waste by developing waste processing facilities on their own premises.

They have also been permitted to avail themselves of the services of 19 empanelled vendors for disposal of waste to the dump yards.

As a number of complaints have been received about illegal dumping of waste in public spaces by some vendors who collect the waste from the bulk waste generators, the civic body has decided to make the change, said officials.

Some of the empanelled vendors were not disposing of the waste at Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dump yards as they have to pay charges to the Chennai Corporation for dumping them. Several bulk waste generators have also been unable to find the right vendors to dispose of the waste.

Once the two major private conservancy operators, Ramky and Urbaser Sumeet, are permitted by the GCC to collect waste directly from the bulk waste generators, garbage problems are expected to be resolved in more than 3,000 neighbourhoods.

The GCC had conducted a meeting last week to expand the scope of solid waste management by the private operators in the city, with the aim of improving waste collection from bulk waste generators, strengthening garbage clearance from open spaces such as burial grounds, and for promoting cleanliness in residential areas of the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB).

Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Associations president T.K. Shanmugham said the bulk waste generators should emulate the model adopted by apartment complexes that have facilities for waste processing on their own premises. “We are studying a successful model adopted by an apartment complex in Thiruvanmiyur. If we do not encourage decentralised processing, it may lead to large scale dumping of waste in dump yards,” he said.