Poll fever mounts, so does garbage

 

At Singanallur, the entrances to public toilets have been lined with uncleared garbage. "The garbage breeds houseflies and spreads infections. With garbage strewn around the public toilets not being cleared, the situation has turned worse," said P. Rangasamy, a resident of Singanallur, close to Agraharam street.

 

Predictably, the Opposition councillors are fuming while those from the ruling party are pacifying the residents with the stock response, "things will improve after the elections". Says DMK counciillor Meena Logu, "Garbage lies uncleared in several areas and we have to force the busy civic officials to clear the bins. Just because elections are keeping them busy does not mean that they can neglect collection of garbage. However, I do not give up. I ensure that I somehow get the officials to send the conservancy staff to clear the bins."

 

In Vellakinar ward, piles of garbage lie strewn on GN Mills road and stray dogs are foraging there for food. The open drain on the same road has not been cleared for a week, adding to the stink.

 

The AIADMK councillors, however, chose to maintain silence on the issue, as this is election time. "The process has slowed down because the staff is engaged in election-related activities. But that does not mean that sanitation and hygiene in the wards are being compromised," said an AIADMK councillor on condition of anonymity.

 

The response to the SMS grievance system has also slowed down ever since former corporation commissioner G. Latha left. "A former corporation worker has been creating a nuisance near the BSNL office at Bharathi Park road in Saibaba Colony. He collects the garbage from in and around the area and dumps it in front of the compound wall of BSNL. When there is a gust of wind, the garbage flies into the houses on the opposite side of the road. Despite a complaint via SMS a week ago, no action has been taken," said a resident, S. Jayshree.

 

 

While garbage lies uncleared in several parts of the city, areas where the AIADMK candidate P. Rajkumar goes campaigning appear cleaner. An hour or two before Mr Rajkumar's campaign vans arrive, the civic staff descend on the roads and clear the garbage.

 

On Wednesday, Mr Rajkumar campaigned in Town Hall area and the garbage lying on the roadsides were quickly cleared ahead of his arrival. 

On Tuesday, he went round the Ram Nagar area. 

Hours before his arrival, conservancy staff cleared the garbage on the streets of Ram Nagar. 

 

However, corporation officials deny that garbage clearance is being done only in the areas where the ruling party councillor is on a campaign trail."There was a slight delay in collection of garbage as they were unable to operate the transit trucks. The garbage is now being cleared in all the areas, even in areas like Thudiyalur and Edyarpalayam where there has been no campaign so far," the official said.

 

Despite all the efforts that have gone into solid waste management, garbage clearance remains a sore point. Man power shortage is being cited as the main reason for garbage piling up. 

 

"The concept of 'one day, one ward' prevailed when S.M. Velusamy was the mayor. Under the scheme, sanitary workers were concentraed on a single ward to cleanse the entire area. This was initiated to make up for the man power shortage. But that is not happening any more.

 

Drainage is overflowing and the sewage waste that has been polluting the Sowripalayam road opposite Kannapiran Mills for months remains uncleared. Sewage has been stagnating at Police Kandasamy street in Olumbus because plastic litter clogs the drains," said A. Manoj, an RTI activist.