Pollution unchecked in Vijayawada
City generates 550 tonnes of garbage daily, but lacks dumping facility
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-04-21 05:23 GMT
Vijayawada: Lack of proper monitoring by Pollution Control Board and apathy of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation workers are only adding to the rise in pollution levels in Vijayawada. Air and water pollution is a major cause of conce-rn in Vijayawada since there is no proper garbage dumping facility for the city which generates over 550 tonnes of garbage every day.
While increasing number of motor vehicles in and around city is contributing to the air pollution, the lack of awareness among public and authorities turned another reason for the pollution. Sanitation workers of VMC burning the garbage at canals or disposing the same at street corners and at the bunds of various canals in the city have become a common sight. The garbage is burnt regularly at the Sambamurthy Road along Ryves Canal and CK Reddy Road alongside Eluru canal area.
This method has also been adapted by people who want to easily get rid of the waste material near their houses, industries and factories. In Autonagar, burning garbage including rubber material is a daily affair and people find it difficult passing through the industrial area as the entire area is filled with polluted air, chemicals and bad odour. Pollution control board officials say that it is the responsibility of the civic staff to ensure that garbage is not dumped and burnt at inappropriate places in the city.
“We could only monitor and take the incidents of pollution to the notice of local authority concerned. The role of public is highly important in controlling pollution,” said Krishna district environment engineer E. Satyanarayana.
He said, “PCB is ready to support and guide the local governing body in reducing pollution. However, the lack of sufficient staff also turned a problem for PCB to monitor pollution in city. There are only two assistant engineers who mostly spend time in administrative works.”