17 private companies line up to clean Chennai streets

It is interesting to know that Chennai Corporation's decision to privatise garbage collection in 15 zones across the city has seen good response from 17 companies from India and abroad. But how far privatisation will improve the efficiency of garbage disposal is questionable. The civic body had already privatised conservancy operations in three of its zones - Adyar, Kodambakkam and Teynampet. But experience shows that privatising conservancy operations has in no way improved garbage disposal in these three zones. Still these localities continue to be dirty places. Trash and household wastes are spread across the streets, and no one cleans it regularly. The general perception is cleaning by all the existing outsourcing companies are a failure. Therefore, without proper supervision and monitoring Chennai will continue to an unclean city. Dr. C.Murukadas, The Times of India, July 28, 2012