Pune: Congress has demanded that Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) retender its garbage processing project, seeking separate tenders for wet and dry waste instead of the current mixed-waste model. In a letter submitted on Monday, the party said the change could save Rs 567 crore.The letter cited a prior written opinion from PMC’s vigilance department recommending separate tenders, arguing that wet and dry waste require different processing methods. Congress claimed the mixed-waste approach would award the work to a private firm for Rs 967 crore, while separate facilities would cost about Rs 400 crore.Congress leader in PMC Ramchandra Kadam alleged that only four contractors nationwide handled mixed-waste processing, forming cartels to split contracts among themselves. “PMC should issue fresh, independent tenders for wet and dry waste processing for a 20-year period using short tender notices,” he said.PMC officials said the tender process was conducted with due diligence. “Any decision on retendering would be taken after approvals from bodies such as the standing committee and general body,” a senior civic official said.
