Kanak fined 1cr for not lifting waste in last 3 yrs

Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation has recovered 1.13 crore from private operator Kanak Resources Management Limited (KRML) as fine for failing to lift garbage properly in Nagpur city over the last three years. This was revealed by food inspector with NMC health department Sudhir Phating in a reply to an RTI query filed by activist Abhay Kolarkar.
The RTI reply showed that the private firm was not focused on regularly lifting garbage in North Nagpur. Most of the time, the civic officials refused to take action against the private contractor for reasons best known to them.
In the last three years, the Ashi Nagar zone had imposed a fine of 4.69 lakh, while Mangalwari zone collected 5.22 lakh as fine from Kanak Resources.
TOI has often highlighted irregularities in garbage lifting in North Nagpur areas especially those along the Ring Road patch between Jaripatka police station Square and Kalamna Square and beyond.
Nehru Nagar zone too collected a fine of 3.31 lakh from Kanak Resources since 2013. Similarly, Gandhibagh zone and Hanuman Nagar zone too have imposed a fine on the private contractor for its irregularities in lifting garbage as they recovered 87,200 and 2.93 lakh, respectively. Satranjipura zone too imposed a fine of 95,000 for not lifting garbage.
The break-up of remaining fine amount wasn’t available as four zones — Laxmi Nagar, Dharampeth, Dhantoli and Lakadganj — have failed to reply to the RTI query raised by Kolarkar. Phating referred to the data from NMC head office while stating Rs1.13crore as the penalty levied on Kanak.
The civic body has also admitted that it is the duty of Kanak Resources to lift foliage from roads, which is not being done.
This revelation will actually bring relief for many citizens who have been constantly complaining regarding non-lifting of foliage. Many residents and even sanitary workers end up burning foliage. TOI has often highlighted that burning of garbage poses a serious threat to health.
Mangalwari, Gandhibagh, Hanuman Nagar, Nehru Nagar, Satranjipura and Ashi Nagar zones have caught 44 sanitary workers and also penalized 39 residents for burning garbage.