Ahmedabad’s civic body had resolved to reduce the city’s per capita waste from 600g to 450g by 2031. A vision document to this effect was released a decade back. But today, the situation is grim and the dream seems more distant than ever.
It was way back in 2014 that Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) annually collected 26,682 metric tonnes of waste from homes. This touched 89,707 metric tonnes by 2023 – a 236% increase.
Today, the AMC spends Rs 240 crore a year on door-to-door garbage collection against Rs 100 crore in 2014.
In the latest tenders issued by the AMC, the cost of door-to-door waste collection has gone up to Rs 315 crore. The civic body plans to spend a mind-boggling Rs 3,153 crore over the next decade on just door-to-door collection.
The city’s sprawl, with new societies popping up, and its affair with packaged food and online shopping, are instrumental for the surge in waste, say experts. However, the foulest stench emerges from the colossal failure of the “waste segregation at source project”, they point out.
“Ahmedabad city has grown in size after incorporating areas like Bopal-Ghuma, Kathwada and Nana Chiloda. The city now spans around 480 sq km. It is also witnessing a surge in new constructions and societies, which generate more waste. Moreover, the consumption of packaged food and online shopping have also contributed to the increase in waste generated. As a result, the door-to-door project has become more expensive,” said an AMC official.
He added, “The door-to-door garbage collection will now cost Rs 75 crore more every year. It covers seven zones in the city and has been tendered for Rs 315 crore a year for 10 years. The total cost of the project will be Rs 3,153 crore. This is due to the city’s expansion and the emergence of new residential complexes.”
Tender documents suggest they lack strict segregation clauses, raising fears the garbage problem will only fester in the future and costs will only esclate. The vision document will remain a document.
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