ITANAGAR, 27 Jan: The Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) has appealed to Chief Minister Pema Khandu to enhance the fund for solid waste management (SWM) from Rs 1.78 crore to Rs 6 crores annually.
An IMC team, led by Mayor Tame Phassang, made the request during a meeting with the CM on Thursday.
During the meeting, which was also attended by UD&H Minister Kamlung Mossang, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and UD Secretary Mitali Namchoom, the mayor spoke about non-enhancement of fund for SWM, lack of manpower, and other issues.
He urged the CM to enhance the fund for solid waste management. “Since the inception of IMC, grant-in-aid of Rs 1.78 crore allocated annually for solid waste management but the existing allocation is insufficient to render full service, considering various vital factors, viz, POL, sanitation vehicle maintenance, wages of sanitation workers, etc, which attributes in restraining the ability of IMC to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in ICR,” Phassang said, and appealed to the CM to augment the grant-in-aid for SWM to Rs 6 crores annually to enable the IMC to deliver optimum service adequately.
Phassang also pressed for strengthening the manpower in the IMC. Informing that the IMC is functioning with 37 contingency staffers and an officer deputed by the government, Phassang urged the CM to “allocate additional 87 posts for IMC with a provision to absorb the existing 37 contingency staff with all regular benefits and allowances as prescribed by the government.”
The mayor also sought appointment of an independent assistant commissioner for the IMC. “Presently, the assistant commissioner posted in IMC is holding the additional charge of ICR EAC and political undersecretary, due to which he is unable to dedicate full time to IMC, and with the growing responsibilities and subject matters of IMC, it is requested that a full-time additional commissioner may be posted in IMC,” Phassang said.
Expressing concern over the overlapping of subjects, the mayor urged the CM to “facilitate provision for transferring all power devolved to the urban local body with sufficient manpower from the line departments.”
He said, “It is also observed that HoDs of various departments are non-compliant, despite resolution adopted by the IMC in its 6th business meeting, wherein it was resolved that public and private agencies/machinery are to obtain NOC from IMC prior to implementation of any developmental schemes in the jurisdiction of IMC to streamline and support the system of the work process.”
The CM assured to extend all possible support to the IMC.
