Chennai Mayor blames residents for lack of civic sense

Calls for more awareness on sanitation and public health.

After being Chennai’s Mayor for a full five years, Saidai Duraisamy said that majority of the city’s residents don’t have the enthusiasm or the concern to keep their environs clean. “This is the truth,” he told the third and last day of the council meeting on Saturday.

“Residents fail to show enthusiasm in keeping their neighbourhoods clean. It is our duty to create awareness in among each and every resident of the city,” he told the councillors.

Pointing to the failure of residents to segregate garbage in households, the Mayor said that waste has to be segregated before disposal in the dumpyards.

“Dumping of waste on the roads is a challenge. Some residents do not use the bins to dispose waste. They should understand that their activity increases the risk to public health,” said Mr. Duraisamy.

Flays shopkeepers

Alleging that shopkeepers were reluctant to dump waste during night conservancy, he said they dispose of the waste only in the morning after the compactors clear the debris from the road at night. “The civic bodytaking efforts to improve night conservancy. But shopkeepers dump waste in the morning, polluting the roads during the day,” he said.

Expressing concern over open defecation, dumping of construction debris on roads and in vacant plots, mosquito breeding sources in recycling business operators and sewage pollution on roads caused by private vehicle operators, the Mayor said the residents concerned have to be more aware of the impact on public health.

Mr. Duraisamy asked the corporation officials to appoint an employee to guide residents who visit corporation offices for civic services.