CAG report exposes major gaps in Jharkhand’s Solid Waste Management

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RANCHI, Jharkhand: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has identified significant irregularities in the performance audit of solid waste management (SWM) by Jharkhand’s civic bodies. The audit, which covered the financial years 2017-18 to 2021-22, revealed deficiencies in planning, institutional mechanisms, financial management, and the implementation of SWM projects.

Conducted between July 2022 and January 2023, the audit examined 14 urban local bodies (ULBs) and found that none had prepared the required SWM plans. Furthermore, nine out of the 14 ULBs failed to recognise organisations of informal waste pickers or collectors.

The report highlighted severe staff shortages, including a 28 per cent vacancy for sanitary supervisors and an 89 per cent vacancy in the public health officer cadre, which hindered the effective implementation and monitoring of SWM activities.

Five ULBs—Chatra, Garhwa, Jhumri Telaiya, Koderma, and Ranchi—began constructing landfills or dumping sites without obtaining the necessary environmental clearances. The audit also noted that 66 community bins purchased for Rs 11.75 lakh in February 2022 were lying unused in Pakur Municipal Corporation, and 12 bins purchased for Rs 6.24 lakh in August 2018 had remained idle for over four years.

The report recommends that the state government ensure the submission of annual SWM reports by all 50 ULBs and establish district- or ULB-level committees to monitor the implementation of SWM plans.

In a related issue, the CAG’s compliance audit of the road construction department revealed a cost overrun of Rs 37.29 crore in eight projects due to the department’s failure to provide encumbrance-free sites to contractors.