Mayors oppose,but govt gives its nod

Terming the implementation of the MSW project as a priority,the state government has also instructed the municipal corporations of the concerned cities to pass the project at the earliest.

“We have been instructed to put forth the proposal before the House. Once approved by the House,work related to its implementation has to begin at the earliest. Whatever objections the mayors have,they can state them during the House session,” said a senior LMC official.

The project is to be implemented in Allahabad,Varanasi,Jhansi,Gorakhpur,Moradabad,Aligarh,Meerut,Mathura and Lucknow.

In every city,a private agency will be appointed who would be responsible for the door-to-door garbage collection at a nominal fee,disposal at scientific landfill sites and making bio-fertilisers.

The proposal was formulated and sent to the local bodies by UP Jal Nigam in November last year,but the mayors were against the appointment of private agencies.

Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma said: “If we have the requisite funds and infrastructure,then why cannot we perform the services ourselves? I see no reason to hand over the MSW project to a private firm.”