The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has extended the contract of the private company responsible for managing the city’s solid waste, despite ongoing complaints about its poor performance. This extension, which will last until the end of February 2025, marks the third such extension since the company’s original one-year contract expired on August 17, 2024.

The initial three-month extension was granted until November 11, 2024, followed by a second extension until January 17, 2025. However, as there is no immediate alternative, CCMC decided to continue with the same firm for another month.

The decision has been met with criticism from councillors and social activists, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s performance. Residents have reported several issues, including irregular garbage collection, unclean streets, and poor waste disposal methods. Despite the corporation spending around Rs 1.70 billion on solid waste management services, the company’s efforts have not met expectations.

The CCMC, which oversees 100 wards across five zones, generates approximately 1,200 tonne of garbage daily, making effective waste management critical to the city's hygiene. Officials from the corporation stated that they are actively seeking a suitable replacement but have yet to identify a new service provider. They argue that extending the current contract is necessary to avoid disruption in waste management services until a new company is found.

The corporation plans to issue a fresh tender for solid waste management services by the end of the month, with hopes of finalizing a new company soon.

News source: The New Indian Express