The current outbreak of viral fevers and other diseases is triggered at least partly by unauthorised garbage sites at multiple locations across the city.
Rain water deposited in discarded tyres, boxes, paper cups and debris is acting as fertile breeding pool for mosquito larvae, resulting in outbreak of diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya every year. While main thoroughfares are kept more or less garbage free, residents from across the city are complaining about littering of internal roads, around GHMC bins, spots closer to nalas and open plots.
Dengue outbreak
Suvarna, a resident of Manikonda says, garbage not lifted from the road margins, and many vacant plots affects public health severely. MLAs’ Colony in Banjara Hills, the abode of several VIPs, is another case in point. The residents’ welfare association in the area raised concern when 30 cases of dengue were reported for the first time from the colony since July.
The reason behind the rise in dengue cases , they say, is due to dumping of scrap material like tyres, empty petrol and oil tins of the Transport wing of the GHMC in an open area earmarked for the colony park.
The situation has not improved even after the visit by GHMC officials following complaints, says Ridhima Singh, a member of the association. On top of it, a watchman was posted there to protect the scrap, she says.
The routine anti-larval operations which were to take place before monsoons have taken a back seat this year, owing to elections.
Residents of Old City, too, complained about garbage accumulation at several locations, including one near a school and another in close proximity of the GHMC’s Circle-V office.
Falaknuma resident Mohammed Vasil, a textile trader, says there is a need for garbage lifting near the government school in the lane adjacent to the Rythu Bazaar. “Since it is near a school, the frequency of lifting should be increased,” he said. The situation, he observed, is similar near the government school in Etebar Chowk.
S.Q. Masood, a resident of Kalapather, said garbage lifting near the Boys Town School in the same area is a problem. “All you have to do is take a small drive along New Road in Kalapather. The same situation prevails in Ranjan Colony. Unattended construction debris is also an issue in the Old City,” he said.
Littering of private plots continues to be a chronic issue across localities, more so in East Zone. “GHMC keeps its vehicle inside this open plot, but does not care to clear it of garbage. Earlier, there used to be a car service centre here, but it is now closed down. Since then, it has become an unofficial dumping site, where people nonchalantly throw covers filled with garbage,” complains Veeramani, a coconut vendor, pointing to an open plot in Chaitanyapuri.
For residents of localities in and around Kendriya Vihar, Gachibowli, scenes of garbage piled up, strewn around and generating a stench are not uncommon. While the sight of leachate from the bin near entrance of the road itself is revolting, broken liquor bottles and half-eaten food post sunset can be potential health hazards, say residents. Though the bin is emptied every day, more efforts are required, they feel.
Unauthorised dumping
Similar complaints of garbage mounds on roadside and open plots are reported from areas such as Kondapur, Vanasthalipuram, Moula Ali, Miyapur, Ramanthapur and Secunderabad. Some times, unauthorised dumping and burning of garbage is done by GHMC workers themselves.
Residents of Kukatpally have several complaints on dumping of construction debris/building waste along the main roads in localities such as Shamshiguda, Pragathinagar, Bhagyanagar Extension, Yellammabanda and others. The delay in clearing the garbage from bulk garbage bins is also leading to a lot of inconvenience.
“The garbage collected from households in HMT Hills, Addagutta, Adithyanagar, Tulsinagar, Satavahana Nagar, Shamshiguda, Indra Hills and some other localities in the area is being dumped in the open area (transit point) between Amber Cheruvu (Pragathinagar tank) and the abutting hillock. The stench emanating from frequent burning of the segregated garbage is unbearable,” says T. Appa Rao, resident of Shamshiguda locality.
Online complaints
Social media is replete with complaints and videos of GHMC workers burning garbage or dumping it at unauthorised sites. “To my surprise, GHMC Workers are dumping the garbage in front of our apartment. I feel it’s not their mistake, as there are no bins around, they are forced to dump it like this. Please install few dustbins around Shivaji Nagar, Chandanagar (sic),” tweeted Vinod Kumar, a Twitter user.
(With inputs from M.L. Melly Maitreyi, Syed Mohammed, B. Chandrashekhar, N.Ravi Kumar and Swathi Vadlamudi)
