Even as epidemics such as Nipah and dengue are spreading panic across the State, Thrissur city is facing another disaster.
Garbage removal from the city has been stopped for the past two weeks as the corporation’s waste treatment plant has remained closed for months. City dwellers are scared of an outbreak of epidemics any time as the rain has worsened the situation.
Sakthan Nagar, one of the major centres in the city, has literally become a huge garbage dumping yard. Garbage in plastic bags and sacks has been piled up near the waste treatment plant.
As the monsoon set in, the heaped up garbage started rotting with maggots and flies swarming all over the place. The leachate oozing from the garbage is spreading all over the area.
As the waste removal has stopped, the situation in other parts of the city is no different. Waste has been heaping up in every street with stay dogs and cattle feasting on them.
Epidemics reported
Already, epidemics such as jaundice, dengue, malaria and leptospirosis have been reported from various parts of the district.
The condition of the city will be worse than Nipah-affected areas if the corporation fails to take urgent measures, say city dwellers. They are irked at the delay in repairing the waste treatment plant at Sakthan Nagar.
The city corporation buried some of the rotten waste at Sakthan Nagar some days ago. The traders in the area warned of a protest if the civic body tried to it again.
Meanwhile, Corporation Health Standing Committee chairperson M.L. Rosy said urgent steps would be taken to remove the dumped waste at Sakthan Nagar. Procedures for repairing the waste treatment plant at Sakthan Nagar would also be completed soon, she said.
