At a time when Tiruchi Corporation is promoting ‘Green Tiruchi’ initiative by distributing saplings to resident welfare associations and individuals, a section of residents in the city have resorted to axing home-grown trees apparently due to inordinate delay over clearing fallen branches and dried leaves by civic workers.
According to a long-time resident of Kumaran Nagar, residents have cut down more than 10 fully-grown trees during the last six months, citing Corporation apathy in clearing dried leaves and fallen branches.
“I had no other option but to remove a 10-year-old tree as I had several bitter experiences in convincing the Corporation workers to clear garbage other than domestic waste,” a resident of Kumaran Nagar told The Hindu .
Another one says that residents have decided not to grow new trees as garbage collectors refuse to collect dried up foliage.
They contend that there was no problem for them in disposing of all types of garbage in bins placed in different parts of the city. They dumped domestic waste, food leftovers, vegetables, discarded items and others in the garbage bins.
Problems began after the Corporation decided to remove the garbage bins about two years ago under the new Solid Waste Management Rules passed by the Centre in 2016.
The civic body made it mandatory for residents to hand over domestic waste directly to pushcarts or light commercial vehicles of the Corporation.
It also introduced spot fine system for those violating the rules and procured 140 light commercial vehicles for all 65 wards to collect garbage directly from residents.
Ever since the garbage bins were removed, residents complain, they are unable to dispose of dried foliage safely. The garbage collectors, who visit streets with light commercial vehicles daily, are not at all ready to collect garbage other than domestic waste.
Hence, they have no option other than to dump dried up branches on streets. The garbage collectors do not bother to remove branches of trees trimmed down by Tangedco workers in residential colonies, they rue.
“I waited for more than two weeks for Corporation workers to clear the branches trimmed down by Tangedco employees. I had to pay a bribe of ₹500 for clearing the branches dumped in front of my house. It is not an isolated incident,” says a resident of Kumaran Nagar.
When contacted, a senior official of the Corporation said light commercial vehicles could collect only domestic waste. The civic body was operating trucks to clear other types of garbage. But the number of trucks was inadequate to cover all areas. Hence, steps would be taken to increase the trucks.
Suitable action would be taken against those demanding bribe for removing garbage, the official added.
