Residents of Ramalinga Nagar in Woraiyur are vexed as waste materials are dumped in an empty plot in the area. Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, garbage gets piling up every day, residents in the vicinity complained.
The practice by a section of the public to discard domestic waste materials at road corners, drainage canals and unclaimed land has been persisting despite the Corporation’s awareness initiatives.
While a section of residents complained of irregularity in garbage collection, some admitted public apathy. ‘Residents living in apartments, large buildings and within small streets ignore the van and dump their garbage in this area,’ said S. Muthumani, a resident.
The increase in garbage has meant larger presence of dogs and cattle rummaging the dump. They drag the garbage to the road and make a mess of the entire street. The garbage emits a foul smell; mosquitoes, flies and other insects breed on it,’ said Muthumani.
The civic body, earlier this year, declared many streets as litter-free zones and and removed nearly 95% of large public dustbins. The garbage collected from each house would be taken to a micro-compost yard where it was segregated and bio-degradable waste was turned into compost while non-biodegradable waste was sold. ‘Those large dustbins would have been a saving grace during these times. The sanitary workers have to clear them,’ another resident said.
Meanwhile, officials said that the public were not following norms. ‘During the lockdown, we would go early and knock on doors at least two or three times. Yet, the people would step out late in the night or early in the morning to throw waste in the empty plot,’ a sanitary worker said.
