Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The project for processing bio-medical waste in the Patoda area was taken over by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) on Wednesday. Earlier, the municipal corporation seems to have come face to face with the agency for the past few days. The administrator G Sreekanth gave immediate orders to take over the project. Following this, the civic officials took control of the project. From Thursday, the municipal corporation will manage the project directly, said the Municipal Officer of Health (MoH) Dr Paras Mandlecha.
Earlier, the municipal corporation had entrusted the task of collecting and processing medical waste from government and private hospitals in the city to the Water Grace company from Nashik. A 20-year contract was signed with the company. After the contract expired, an extension of another 20 years was granted to the same company. However, after noticing discrepancies in the company's work, the CSMC administrator ordered the issuance of a new tender. After completing the tender process, the company Biotech Waste Ltd from Goa was selected. Orders were given to transfer the project from the old one to this company. However, the directors of Water Grace delayed the transfer of the project, and officials from the Pollution Control Board also attempted to support them.
In this context, on Wednesday, the CSMC took over the Water Grace project. The process of taking over the project was carried out under the leadership of MoH Dr Mandlecha. The chief of the Vigilance Cell M B Qazi, Head of the Estate Section Sanjay Chamle, Mechanical Section Vaibhav Gaurkar, the head of the BOT Cell S S Ramdasi, and the Sub-Regional Officer of the Pollution Control Board Achyut Nandavate were present on the occasion.
Official panchanama
Dr Mandlecha said, "Vaibhav Bora and Pradeep Galphade of the Water Grace company officially handed over the project operations to the CSMC. A proper inventory was conducted while taking over the project. Ten to fifteen witnesses were present during this process. From tomorrow, the municipal corporation will operate the project."
The information about the takeover of the project has also been given to Administrator G Sreekanth, said Dr Mandlecha.