Nagpur: Garbage operator, forced to vacate NIT lands, places bins by roadside

NAGPUR: Almost after three years, the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) has freed its two sprawling land parcels in Mahendra Nagar in North Nagpur from the unauthorized possession of Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s garbage operator — BVG India Pvt Ltd.
Even though the NIT has eliminated one illegality, the operator in alleged nexus with civic officials has placed six garbage bins on road causing inconvenience to pedestrians and road users.
TOI on August 2 had reported about the NMC allowing BVG India to set up unauthorized garbage transfer station and parking yard on lands situated adjacent to two schools and residential locality causing various problems to citizens. TOI had also reported the NIT and NMC officials allowing the garbage operator to use civic agency’s lands without approval from authorities, lease or monthly rent.
Two former corporators had alleged that NIT and NMC officials were pocketing rent from the operator. Taking cognizance of TOI reports, NIT chairman Manoj Kumar Suryawanshi directed north division officials to construct compound wall to preserve the lands. Accordingly, a team led by NIT executive engineer Sanjay Pohekar constructed a compound wall forcing the operator to vacate the two spaces.
Suryawanshi inspected the place and interacted with the office-bearers of educational institutions running the schools and also assured construction of a road.
NIT went to lodge a complaint with Pachpaoli police demanding registration of offence against BVG India for encroaching its lands and also causing hurdles in construction of the compound wall.
Due to construction of the compound wall, warning by the NIT and police complaint, BVG India stopped parking its vehicles by the roadside. Earlier, the operator used to dump garbage on surface layer and load it into big vehicles parked on the right side of the road and transport it to Bhandewadi dumping yard. All these activities have come to an end. By doing so, the civic agency has also prevented other encroachers from occupying the lands.
Former corporators Aslam Khan and Jitendra Godeshwar and office-bearers of Rashtravikas Bahuuddeshiya Sanstha that runs Vidya Sagar Convent thanked Suryawanshi and his team for eradicating the problem.
The civic body had engaged BVG India in November 2019 and since then the two lands were being used by the operator in an unauthorised manner.
Though it was mandatory for the operator to remove all big garbage bins within a year of commencement of the contract, BVG India has placed six such bins on the road. Now, the operator’s small vehicles dump garbage collected from households in these bins and later transfer it to big vehicles for carrying it to Bhandewadi dumping yard. This is creating unhygienic conditions in the area and also emanating strong stench making it impossible for the residents to walk on the road or even commute using two-wheelers.
As per agreement executed with the NMC, the operator was supposed to transfer garbage collected from small vehicles to bigger carriages without dumping it on surface layer or in bins.
Sources claimed that officials of NMC’s solid waste management department have, in violation of the contract, allowed BVG India to place these bins without securing consent from higher authorities. There is provision of daily fine in case the operator fails to eliminate big bins, yet it is being overlooked causing financial loss to the civic body.
Even though the NIT has initiated action, NMC officials continue to overlook the unauthorized use of two parcels of land on the proposed Orange City Street Project for parking of vehicles by another garbage operator AG Enviro Infra Projects Private Ltd.