Latest news with #Rs780
Time of India
24-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Waste Segregated In City Only To Be Dumped At Same Spot In Bhandewadi
Nagpur: Bhandewadi dumping yard , already under scrutiny for unchecked dumping practices, has now turned into a firetrap, exposing gaping flaws in the city's waste management system. Despite collecting over Rs14.15 crore in fines from private agencies since 2019, only 5% of this amount was on account of dumping mixed waste — an oversight that continues to nullify years of segregation efforts. Unchecked mixing of dry and wet garbage at the landfill not only defeats the purpose of door-to-door segregation but also led to the massive fire that broke out on April 19, with fire crews still battling the flames days later. Currently, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), through private contractors AG Enviro and BVG India, collects and transports around 1,350 metric tonnes of garbage daily to the Bhandewadi site. Of this, about 60-70% is said to be segregated at source — collected as dry and wet waste separately. However, investigations by TOI revealed that both segregated and mixed waste are ultimately dumped together at the landfill, making the segregation effort meaningless. Shockingly, there is no mechanism in place to check what kind of waste is being transported or dumped at the landfill. "No vehicle is stopped or checked at the dumping yard, whether carrying mixed or segregated waste," admitted a senior official from NMC's solid waste management department. Interestingly, NMC continues to penalise contractors for failing to collect segregated waste, while taking little to no action at the final dumping site. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ready to Live in 2, 3 & 4 BHK from ₹3.60 Cr* in Sec 22 Ambience Creacions, Gurugram Learn More Undo On the other hand, NMC has been spending Rs780 per metric tonne on Bhandewadi legacy waste bioremediation (treatment of waste using microorganisms such as bacteria that break down undesirable substances). Over the last few years, NMC claims to have treated 16 lakh metric tonnes, freeing up 20 acres of land where a waste-to-biogas plant by Netherlands-based Sustainable Business Development (SusBDe) is now under construction. However, an estimated 13 lakh metric tonnes of untreated legacy waste still remain. Continued dumping of fresh mixed garbage on this site is severely hampering bioremediation work. The SusBDe plant was to be completed within 18 months of the MoU signed in June 2023, but the deadline has already been extended to November 2025. Municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari acknowledged the issue stating that mixed garbage continues to be dumped and the situation would improve only after the plant becomes fully operational. Recent fire at the landfill has highlighted risks of mixing biodegradable and inflammable materials. The blaze, which broke out on April 19, has required continuous deployment of eight fire tenders with 24 firefighters working in shifts to contain it. Officials say the fire could have been avoided if NMC had enforced segregation norms more strictly since outsourcing garbage collection to private firms in 2009. Environmental activists and civic experts have long warned that poor enforcement and lax monitoring at Bhandewadi could lead to a disaster. The fire, they say, is just the latest in a series of warning signs ignored by the city's administration.
Express Tribune
05-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Poultry vendors refuse to sell at govt rates, announce strike for Thursday
Listen to article Poultry vendors in Sindh have announced a strike starting Thursday, refusing to sell chicken at the government-mandated prices, Express News reported. Sindh Poultry and Retailers Association President Rao Mohammad Afzal stated that poultry farms are violating the official pricing, supplying live chickens at Rs490 instead of the government-approved rate of Rs400. "Vendors are being charged Rs780 per kilogram for chicken meat, so how can we sell it at the government price of Rs640?" Afzal said, explaining the financial strain the pricing discrepancy is causing. He further accused the local authorities of unfairly targeting vendors, imposing fines of up to Rs100,000. "The city administration is taking one-sided action against vendors, while poultry farms are holding back stock to artificially create shortages," he added. Afzal stated that the poultry shops across the city will remain closed until poultry farmers are held accountable for adhering to government prices and ensuring adequate supply at those rates. "The strike will continue until poultry farmers are compelled to follow the official pricing, and the supply of chicken at the government rate is ensured," he concluded.
Express Tribune
03-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Soaring prices leave citizens struggling
With the beginning of Ramazan, the prices of essential food items, including vegetables, fruits, flour, pulses, cooking oil, and sugar, have skyrocketed, causing distress among fasting citizens. Fruits have become unaffordable for many, making it difficult for people to observe their fasts properly. For the first time in 40 years in Punjab, the severe economic crisis has prevented the government from setting up subsidised markets or providing financial relief on essential items for Sehri and Iftar. As a result, an inflation tsunami is engulfing the public. In local markets, bananas are being sold at Rs300 per dozen, oranges at Rs550600 per dozen, apples at Rs450 per kg, strawberries at Rs600 per kg, guavas at Rs250 per kg, pomegranates at Rs400 per kg, grapes at Rs350500 per kg, and melons at Rs250 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of live chicken has surged to Rs550 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs780 per kg. Eggs are priced at Rs287 per dozen, milk at Rs220 per litre, yoghurt at Rs240 per kg, butter at Rs1,200 per kg, and desi ghee has reached an astonishing Rs3,000 per kg. Despite the escalating crisis, price control magistrates have been focusing only on fining street vendors while failing to curb the rising costs in major markets. Alarm bells have already been sounded for further price hikes in the coming days, adding to the woes of the citizens during the holy month.
Express Tribune
05-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Starlink likely to start by June, NA panel told
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) and Telecom was informed on Tuesday that the process to initiate Starlink internet services in Pakistan was almost complete and the service would be available in the country by June this year. The committee which met here with its chairman Aminul Haq in the chair, expressed its displeasure with the problems in the availability of internet services in parts of the country. The committee members hoped that after the start of the Starlink those issued could be resolved. The parliamentary secretary for IT told the committee that the discussions with Starlink had reached the final stage and its services would be available by June this year. The secretary said that 90% process had been completed. Therefore, the licence to the Starlink would be issued soon. During the meeting, the committee discussed the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects for the IT ministry for the financial year 2024-25. The ministry said that Rs24 billion was allocated in the PSDP, adding that more than Rs2 billion had, so far, been spent in the current fiscal year. The committee members raised the problems pertaining to the internet availability in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Special Communication Organisation (SCO) officials said that a plan was in hand to expand mobile services in the regions at a cost of Rs780 million. Regarding the establishment of an IT park in Karachi, the IT ministry officials stated said that Rs6 billion was allocated for the project this year, but the amount could not be utilised because it was still in the design phase. Committee member Mustafa Kamal urged effective planning for the project. Another committee member, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, pointed to the non-completion of the Islamabad IT park project for a long time. The ministry officials said that a Korean company was working on the project. The chair said that the committee would visit the project after the next meeting. The chair asked the ministry to expedite the work on the Personal Data Protection Bill. The IT ministry secretary told the committee that the minister concerned was on board on the bill. The committee was informed that a draft of the artificial intelligence (AI) policy had been sent to the cabinet for approval. During the meeting, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman briefed the committee regarding internet speed and connectivity. He said that the PTA generated Rs1,700 billion revenue in the last 6 years the government had not invested even a single rupee in this sector in several years. He informed the committee that high-speed internet connectivity required fibre cables.
