Greater Noida: GNIDA wants waste pickup fee, RWAs say paid already

                

Noida: Greater Noida residents staged a walkout during a meeting with GNIDA, protesting newly proposed charges for garbage collection. The residents argued that they 
had already 
paid for such services through the one-time lease rent during property registration.In a meeting held by GNIDA's health department with representatives from RWAs on 
Monday, the 
authority informed residents about the proposed monthly charges for garbage collection. These charges were to range from Rs 80 for plots up to 200 square meters to Rs 
150 for plots 
exceeding 500 square meters. However, residents voiced strong opposition, citing the poor state of waste management services in the city and their belief that the 
cleanliness of the 
area is the responsibility of the municipal body or GNIDA itself.The meeting, chaired by Chetram Singh, senior manager of GNIDA's health department, included RWAs 
from sectors 
such as Alpha 1 and 2, Beta 1 and 2, Gamma 1 and 2, and others. During the session, residents were informed of the new charges: Rs 80 per month for plots up to 
200sqm, Rs 100 
for plots between 200 and 300sqm, Rs 120 for plots between 300 and 500sqm, and Rs 150 per month for plots larger than 500sqm.Residents were quick to point out that 
they had 
already paid for waste collection services through the lease rent they had paid at the time of property registration. Nidhi Sharma, a resident of Sector Gamma 1, quipped, 
"When lease 
rent and transfer charges are being taken, why are additional user charges for waste collection being imposed?"Many residents condemned the proposal, viewing it as yet 
another 
financial burden.

The walkout was also fueled by the longstanding issues with waste disposal in Greater Noida. According to multiple residents, the cleanliness situation in the city is dire, 
with poor 
service from the agency hired by GNIDA, Blue Planet.Residents also raised concerns over the poor waste collection practices. "Despite a tender worth 30-35 crores, urban 
sectors are 
not being cleaned properly," Bhati added.The residents also pointed to the outsourcing of waste collection to the private company Blue Planet, which, they claimed, had 
failed to meet 
expectations. Alok Singh, another resident of Greater Noida said, "Every time a problem is solved, it reappears the next day. The authorities have failed to deliver, and now 
they're 
asking for more money."In light of these protests, resident Alok Singh suggested that GNIDA form a dedicated city maintenance department (CMD), which would streamline 
waste 
management and other civic services



Source : Times of India