Residents led by the Left parties -- CPI(M) and CPI, and TDP -- stopped the movement of garbage vehicles on Thursday on Pipula Junction-Vambay Colony Road near Excel Plant in the city. They stopped the vehicles that were going to the transfer station at the Excel Plant and staged a dharna against dumping of garbage.
The residents on Thursday turned their ire on the VMC as it had allegedly not responded to their pleas against dumping garbage in the residential area. They wanted the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board to initiate action against the corporation for polluting the residential areas.
CPI(M) city secretary Ch. Babu Rao, addressing the gathering, said that the corporation was dumping the garbage and was going back on its promise that it would stop after December 31, 2012. The residents staged a dharna on April 14. Subsequently, the officials sought time up to Thursday, and promised them of no transfer thereafter. The Corporation’s apathy was exposing the residents to serious health problems. The people were at the receiving end in any season. In summer, smoke billows out of burning garbage and it stinks during rainy season. Dumping of garbage in a residential area was in gross violation of the norms spelt out by the Supreme Court, he said.
‘No response’
Despite a series of protests to highlight the gravity of the situation, the authorities concerned had done precious little to mitigate the woes of the residents. Launching a broadside against the officials, the CPI(M) leader said the VMC was dilly-dallying in acquiring land. The officials were not serious in finding a permanent solution to the problem. Instead of whiling away some more time in inaction, it was time the VMC put in place concrete measures to address the issue, he added.
