KHAMMAM: In the absence of a garbage disposal yard, nearly 25 to 30 tons of garbage generated daily in the temple town of Bhadrachalam is being disposed near the flood bank of River Godavari, putting the health of citizens in danger. The transfer of all the revenue villages of Bhadrachalam mandal, barring the Bhadrachalam revenue village, to Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation of the State has left the temple town devoid of a dumping yard. The site, which was earlier used as a dumping yard has become part of Andhra Pradesh ever since the two Telugu States came into being.
The Centre has merged five-gram panchayats around the temple town -- Pichikalapadu, Purusothapatnam, Gundals, Seetampet and Yetapaka -- with Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation. The then officials had purchased 10 acres of land in Pichikalapadu village to use it as dumping yard, which in turn became part of the neighbouring State. Since the extension of the town limits is restricted over lack of availability of land, waste disposal has been annoying the officials concerned for a long time. Ever since the bifurcation, the officials have been dumping garbage on the beds of river Godavari.
The proposal by then collector of Bhadradri Kothagudem district to allot one acre of land on either side of the river at Sarapaka village was objected by the villagers. Gram panchayat official Ch Srinivas said “We have been trying to get some private land for the purpose, but the discussions are still in a nascent level.”