VISAKHAPATNAM: Unable to bear the stench from the huge uncleared dumpsters, the locals taking control over the situation, set afire the overflowing garbage with fuel, adding damaged wood and other household waste accumulated from the neighbourhood.
As the Municipal Corporation sanitary workers’ stir enters day 11, many places are dotted with huge quantity of debris, despite of GVMC initiating several measures to clear the debris with the help of the police and other authorities.
With stray dogs hovering around the food and slaughter house waste piled at several places, the locals are facing trouble to walk past.
To overcome the problem, the local youth gathered various household wastes, including newspapers, old plastic bags, firewood, dried leaves and branches, polythene bags, broken glass articles and set fire the piled up garbage in many areas of the city like Simhachalam, Gopalapatnam and Pendurty.
“A large number of people are suffering from viral fevers and other diseases. If the strike continues, there would be an outbreak of several dreaded diseases as well. Though burning garbage is not a permanent solution, we are left with not many alternatives to meet the situation,” opined Ch Syamala, a resident of Ganeshnagar area in Gopalapatnam.
The stray dogs are creating nuisance in the areas, attacking people, particularly children. Parents expressing their anger demanded an end to the municipal workers’ strike and clearance of stray dogs.
“Our children are under house arrest presently, as there are stray dogs loitering on the streets all the time,” said M Durgabhavani, secretary of Kalimatha Mahila Mandali of Vepagunta. Meanwhile, the GVMC has started area-wise medical camps to extend medical assistance to the patients. During the past two days the public health department staff visited various areas and registered fever cases and supplied medicines to them.
According to King George Hospital doctors, the viral fever cases have highly increased in the city. The doctors are also alerting GVMC about the threat posed from the uncleared garbage to the common people.
“Even in the normal days when 5,000 odd sanitary workers clear the debris, several diseases are reported particularly in the monsoon season. Therefore, in a scenario like this, if any disease breaks out, it will affect a large number of people,” said P Rama Rao, general physician .