It’s time for ‘Operation clean-up’

The Greater Chennai Corporation on Tuesday removed a whopping 413 tonnes of waste from the Marina Beach after the police managed to remove most of the pro-jallikattu protesters.

A huge quantity of garbage accumulated on the sands as lakhs of people protested there for the past seven days. “Workers were unable to clean the beach for the past one week. Rotting garbage increased risk of infection and many persons from the neighbouring slums reportedly have taken ill,” said a Corporation official.

Corporation health workers in the slums along the beach are tracking cases of infectious diseases. Owing to inadequate toilets along the beach, open defecation was also reported on the beach sands.

“People had to queue up for a long while to reach toilets. But the facilities were inadequate,” said V. Meghanathan, a protester.

After showing reluctance in providing toilet facilities during the initial days of the protest, the Chennai Corporation had to install mobile toilets to reduce health risks.

Services of over 1,473 conservancy workers were used on Tuesday to clear garbage. The huge quantities of garbage also attracted stray dogs in the area. “We trapped 79 stray dogs on Tuesday,” said an official.

As many as 79 lorries were used to transport the waste to the dump. Officials have also started preparation of estimates for restoration of the damaged civic infrastructure along the beach.

Corporation workers have completed work on restoring minor damage in civic infrastructure along the beach. Most of the greenery along the garden has also been damaged.