SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN 180 of the stainless steal bins installed last year missing or damaged Sukhmeet Bhasin Bathinda, November 18 Theft of bins: MC suffers heavy loss The 180 stainless steel dustbins installed last year were purchased for Rs 13,124 each. Besides, Rs 800 on each pair was spent on installation. These were stolen for their considerable scrap value. Even the new bins that the civic body is set to install contain costly buckets that cost Rs 1,300 per unit. The Municipal Corporation (MC) is set to install 235 new dustbins under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the city. It has received five sample dustbins. Each bin contains two buckets, one for biodegradable and the other for non-biodegradable waste. However, it hasn’t lodged a police complaint in connection with the stolen or missing 180 stainless steel dustbins installed last year. These were purchased for Rs 24 lakh. MC officials say they overlooked spots last time for installing dustbins but now proper placement would be dustbins with the consent of the people. Secondly, the scrap value of stainless steel dustbin was more due to which it was stolen. It will be a challenging task for the MC to save the new dustbins as the buckets kept inside these are expensive, costing the exchequer Rs 1,300 per unit. The civic body says now the garbage will be lifted on daily basis from the dustbins. The stainless steal dustbin was purchased for Rs 13,124 per unit and Rs 800 on each pair was spent for installation. These were reportedly purchased from a contractor, Sumit Garg, who neither manufactured nor dealt in stainless steel dustbins. Even before that, plastic dustbins were installed, but they too were either damaged or stolen. Gurpreet Singh, a city resident, said, “Roads are dilapidated, people are not getting potable water supply and other basic facilities in various parts of the city, but the MC is spending heftily on dustbins.” Another resident, Sanjiv Kumar, said, “It is very strange that the MC didn’t lodge an FIR in connection with the missing dustbins. Now it is against spending a huge amount on dustbins.” Deputy Mayor Tarsem Goyal said the MC would ensure that the garbage bins were installed with the consent of people. Since buckets of the dustbins are costly, they can be stolen, he said. Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said the civic body was installing new dustbins under the Clean City, Green City initiative. “Five samples of dustbins have already arrived which will be installed in main markets of the city. This time the steel of dustbin is very strong and it cannot be damaged or stolen easily,” he added.

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