Private players fail, community efforts for Zero waste, the way ahead

The Chennai Corporation contract with Onyx (Chennai Environmental Services) ended in August 2007. The Corporation paid about Rs. 4 crore a month by charging Rs 1,212 per tonne for garbage clearance. There were complaints against the company. In any case the company was simply collecting garbage and dumping it on the dumpsites. There is no enegineering miracle in collecting and dumping waste.

When Onyx's contract ended, Neel Metal Fanalca Environment Management Pvt. Ltd became the service provider since the former lost its bid for garbage collection.

In april, 2008 a bench of Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission noted, "Even today, we find many roads filled up with garbage and that too, in a haphazard manner and needless to say that such an accumulation is a health hazard and it could trigger serious ailments and there could be outbreak of cholera, leptospirosis and other communicable diseases."

Clearly, Neel Metal Fanalca Environment Management Pvt. Ltdm is no better than Onyx...the lesson from Suryapet is loud and clear there is no alternative to community based waste management that aims for Zero Waste.