Municipal Corporation of Karimnagar (MCK) formally launched the collection of public opinion on the Smart City programme, but it remains a million dollar question whether the town will be included in the list without the completion of underground drainage and solid waste management systems.
The prerequisite norms of Smart City are to have a Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) with the underground drainage (UGD) system and reuse of the water. Ironically, the UGD work taken up in March 2008 at a cost of Rs. 76.50 crore is progressing at a snail’s pace. The executing agency has only laid horizontal lines for the UGD and has to construct inspection chambers for linkage from the houses.
The STP constructed as part of the UGD remains incomplete and unused. Sources said that the completion of the UGD by laying vertical lines from houses connecting to main horizontal lines would require additional Rs. 50 crore. Besides, the badly damaged roads would get further deteriorated in the process.
On the other hand, the other norm of solid waste management in the MCK remains very poor to secure Smart City status. A decade ago the town was declared Clean City and given award for its prompt disposal of garbage from all generating points. Now, it has turned the other way round.
The town is generating around 190 metric tonnes of garbage everyday. But, there is no proper segregation of the garbage for its disposal.
The MCK had taken up construction of Vermi compost pits for the segregation of garbage, but it remains a non-starter.
It had also decided to segregate garbage at the generating points by distributing two dust-bins to each household, which also was not practised properly.
Incidentally, the town does not have any footpaths or adequate parking lots for the vehicles.
When contacted, Mayor S. Ravinder Singh said that they would complete the UGD work by constructing the inspection chambers and utilize the STP. He added that they were also planning distribution of two dust-bins for the segregation of garbage at the generating points as part of solid waste management.
