Focus on plastic goods, not on general garbage in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: Ever since the GVMC focused attention on making Vizag a plastic-free city -- from June – the civic body is ignoring the presence of garbage heaps across the city.

“We appreciate the efforts of GVMC in controlling the menace of plastic through awareness campaigns like SMS services reminding citizens about the ill effects of plastic. At the same time, clearing of garbage from the streets is important too,” said P. Bhaskara Rao, SBI officer from MVP Colony.

A resident of Sivajipalem, P Sridhar, said there existed piles of garbage along the canal next to the crematorium on Shivaji Park Road. "The underground drainage canals are seeing huge dumps of garbage, and foul smell emanates from the roads when it rains," he noted.

Stray dogs and pigs roam around the roads, feeding on the garbage dumps in the areas like Sagarnagar, Madhurawada, Car-shed, Sriharipuram, Poorna Market, Old Town, AVN College and Gnanapuram etc.

During the wedding season and festival times, the roads and canals along the Kalyana Mandapam in the city are also full with plastic on the roads.

A GVMC public health officer said lack of staff and lack of sufficient number of vehicles are the problems in clearing the garbage from the roads. This apart, the sanitation workers went on a strike recently.

“It will take a few more days to put the city back on the right track. During the Swachh campaign for ranks, we have made efforts to keep the city clean. We should continuously make such efforts with the cooperation of the public," the official said.