AMBERNATH: A worsening garbage crisis in Ambernath came under sharp scrutiny at the general body meeting of the municipal council on Friday, with councillors from the BJP and Shiv Sena accusing the waste collection contractor and the civic health department of failing to ensure proper garbage clearance.The meeting was shifted to Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Natyagruha after concerns over leakage and falling plaster at the newly constructed municipal council building, which was reportedly built at a cost of around Rs 45 crore.During the meeting, BJP councillor Pawan Walekar levelled serious allegations against Sameeksha company, which has the contract for garbage collection, claiming irregularities in the weighing of garbage.He alleged that garbage collection vehicles were not operating as per the schedule prescribed in the contract, resulting in garbage accumulating at several locations across the city.BJP councillor Abhijit Karanjule said the civic body’s policy of making Ambernath free of garbage bins had effectively failed.He pointed out that around 210 garbage bins continued to remain in the city and alleged that the continued use of banned plastic was aggravating sanitation and public health concerns.Councillors also questioned the functioning of the municipal health department, holding health department head Tayde, other officials and mukadams responsible for the situation along with the contractor.Several allegations were made about employees allegedly marking their attendance and leaving without performing their duties, while some employees were allegedly shown as present despite not working.Councillors said residents were increasingly approaching elected representatives to complain about garbage not being collected from their localities.Councillor Kabir Gaikwad urged the municipal president to take immediate action, saying elected representatives were being held accountable by residents for failures in the garbage collection system.Shiv Sena councillors Rajendra Walekar, group leader Ravindra Karanjule, Subhash Salunkhe and Vikas Someshwar also demanded cancellation of Sameeksha company’s contract and action against officials found responsible for lapses.Taking note of the allegations, municipal president Tejashree Karanjule expressed strong displeasure over the functioning of the contractor and the health department.She warned that strict action would be initiated against the contractor and officials concerned if there was no immediate improvement in garbage collection and sanitation.
