Amritsar, November 22 The local administration’s experiment to install plastic trash bags seems to have come to an end, as residents of many areas in which these bags were installed reported that trash bags were not being replaced daily. A shopkeeper on Majitha Road, near ENT hospital, said, “I have not seen anyone replacing the bag for the past three months. Earlier, the bags were replaced daily and workers used to come to collect the waste-filled bags every morning.” Presently as the iron structures on which these bags were hung are lying empty. The residents stated that in the absence of the trash bags, people have no other option and they usually throw waste on the roadsides. The scheme had initially helped in solving the problems faced in garbage collection as workers could easily remove the bag and put it in their vehicles. At present, such bags are seen hanging in areas around Golden Temple and on the Heritage Street. In other city areas, the company engaged by the MC has stopped hanging the new bags. Another resident, Satwant Singh, said changing a trash bag is easier as compared to emptying a metalled trash bin. “The scheme had increased the efficiency of the workers and they could easily collect waste from roads. Now as the waste is thrown on the ground, it has become difficult for them to collect it and this is the reason why they often ignore waste heaps,” he said. Manoj Kumar, the manager of the solid waste management company engaged by the Municipal Corporation, which is responsible for collection of waste, said, “Our part is to collect the waste. The bags were installed by another company engaged for mechanical sweeping of the roads.” Manoj Kumar said they are collecting bags from points wherever they are present. Manjinder Singh, an official of the company engaged by the Municipal Corporation for mechanical sweeping, said, “We are continuously fixing bags on 11 roads. Sometimes when the shopkeepers resent the presence of a trash bag in front of their shops, we cannot do anything.” However, as the company had decreased its area of operation from 109 km to merely 55 km after the Municipal Corporation failed to pay its dues, the bags are not fixed on roads which were removed from the contract at the time of revision.

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