Noida: Residents of Greater Noida protested against monthly waste collection charges levied by a private agency on Wednesday. The charges usually range from Rs 80 to Rs 150, depending on the plot size.Residents expressed concern over lack of transparency and prior consultation by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA). According to the residents, workers should be compensated by the Authority, not by residents. “We bought our homes from the Authority and have paid them directly for essential services (like sewer, water, waste disposal, etc) in our lease deeds,” said Rupa Gupta, a resident of Greater Noida.Frustrated by the door-to-door money collection without any official notification, some residents said, “We will not make any payments without a formal, legal order.”Devraj Nagar from Sector 37 also told TOI, “Garbage collectors threaten that if payment isn’t made, garbage will not be collected.” Residents also shared that the waste collectors allegedly target women and the elderly for the money when male family members are not available. They find such tactics “completely improper.”The practice, continuing for over a year, has led to confusion and discontent among residents.On Wednesday, residents of Sector Beta 1 went on a protest against the unauthorised waste collection. They demand a permanent solution to the impending issue and want concerned authorities to take action against anyone engaging in extortion or intimidation tactics.Beta 1 RWA president Sangeeta Sharma and general secretary Harinder Bhati called for coordination between the Authority, the concerned agency and Resident Welfare Association before any fee is decided.
