Rain affects disposal of cracker waste

KAKINADA: The garbage disposal on Friday, after the Diwali festival, taxed the civic authorities in both urban and rural areas in East and West Godavari districts. Rain hampered the clearance of leftovers and it may take a day or two of sunshine to complete the cleaning works.

Lots of revelers lit up crackers on the roads and littered even the busy streets. Some drains got blocked by the garbage thrown in. In Kakinada, sanitation workers carried nearly 180 tonnes of garbage to the dump yard on Friday, but could not complete the work due to the rain.

KMC health officer Dr. Prudwi blamed the rainfall for the civic staff’s failure to dispose of the entire waste. In rural areas, people could not burn crackers in the streets due to rain. On Friday morning, people threw cracker waste on the roads in rural areas and the local bodies had a hard time clearing them.

The people of East and West Godavari districts celebrated Diwali with great enthusiasm by lighting lamps and bursting crackers. Covid19 protocols did not stand in the way.

Though there was a steep hike in cracker prices this time, the sellers said this did not affect their business. Many bought them in great quantities. In the two Godavari districts, crackers worth nearly Rs 40 crore may have been sold. Rain for three consecutive days including the Diwali night on Thursday too did not dampen the enthusiasm of people.

Hindu Sanskrutha Bharati member Nageswara Sarma said the campaign against crackers didn't influence the people in general and they celebrated the festival with gusto. He said the bursting of crackers would not affect biodiversity but would rather kill harmful insects.

Meanwhile, East Godavari district fire officer Ratna Babu said no fire accident was reported this Diwali except for an incident at Dharmavaram village near Prathipadu, where a shop was gutted.