Aurangabad: As part of the annual exercise for Ganesh Utsav, Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has undertaken the cleaning of nine public wells through tendering. However, no proper system has been formulated for the disposal of the waste lifted out from the wells. The safety of labourers is also a question, as no safety mechanisms are in place.The civic body undertakes the cleaning exercise to facilitate immersion of Ganesh idols. Wells at Aurangapura, Hudco N-12, Mukundwadi, Shivajinagar, Satara, Jalal Nagar, Jyoti Nagar, Chikalthana and Bhavsingpura were to be cleaned, and the work would be outsourced to private agencies by tendering.In the past, after such an exercise, waste would be dumped at Naregaon/Mandki dumpyard. This February, the municipal corporation was permanently restrained from dumping waste at that site by the high court. This is the first Ganesh Utsav after that decision.While undertaking cleaning of nullahs ahead of the monsoon this year, the civic body deposited debris along the sides of the nullahs, and this later flowed right back into the drains. The clean-up this time seems no better planned.The contractor cleaning the Aurangapura ZP grounds, it was reported, is filling up a privately owned plot with waste. At N-12 Hudco, ward engineer Nitin Gaikwad said water was first pumped out of the well and the waste was manually pulled out. The garbage removed from the well was sent to Harsul Sawangi.These are wells that gather organic and non-biodegradable waste. This waste, left at composting sites, raises a stink. Civil engineer Syed Asif Ali expressed concern over the poor safety measures adopted while engaging manual labour in well cleaning.“When the waste is lifted, toxic gases formed over several months in the well escape. This is harmful for those in the well. Proper safety gear like masks, helmets and jackets should be provided. The availability of oxygen and proper lighting are crucial,” Ali said, stressing that manual scavenging is barred by the Supreme Court. “As far as possible, such cleaning should be done with machines,” he said.

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