VIJAYAWADA: Huge heaps of garbage piles are accumulating in many towns and villages across the State due to the ongoing five-day municipal outsourcing sanitation workers’ strike. Despite several alternative measures taken by the civic authorities to maintain sanitation, the situation turns worse as municipal workers prevent cleaning operations. The garbage at main centres is being cleared by the daily wage labourers. However, the interior streets stinking with lots of trash.
Special team stationed for collecting garbage in V’wada
The municipal workers, who are on strict terms intercepted the workers deployed by the municipal commissioner at Krishna Lanka and Vambay Colony on Saturday. In response, precautionary measures are being implemented in Vijayawada. Special teams were deployed to collect garbage from house to house. Municipal officials are also taking steps to clear the accumulated garbage on roads using JCBs. To address the situation, the number of garbage collection trips through tractors has been increased to 120 trips per day, and clap vehicle trips have also increased.
VMC Commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar is closely monitoring the amount of garbage collected during the strike compared to previous records. The VMC chief has issued an appeal to the public, urging them not to dispose of garbage on the roads and hand them over to the workers who visit their houses.
Speaking to TNIE, Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar stated that they are deploying contract workers and ad hoc personnel for door-to-door waste collection in response to the ongoing strike by regular sanitation workers.
He further outlined measures to prevent disruptions, mentioning the deployment of a special task force consisting of six members per shift. This task force, including a Special Officer, two Town Planning representatives, one Sub-Inspector, and two constables, will actively monitor the city to ensure the smooth progress of sanitation activities and prevent any obstructions.
Workers climb water tank as part of protest
In Guntur, over 2,000 contract outsourcing staff and CLAP workers of Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) launched a strike demanding that the State government to resolve their long pending problems.
Disruption in sanitation services was evident, as several colonies in Two Town, AT Agraharam, RTC Colony, Brodipet, Arundalpet, and a few other areas were seen with overflowing dustbins, as garbage collection was hit.
A Ramana Rao, resident of Mallareddy Nagar opined that, though door to door collection of wastes is being conducted once in three days in our area, some people, not heeding to instructions, are dumping wastes on road sides and bins are overflowing, causing severe inconvenience to the public and commuters, he added.
According to GMC officials, over 2,000 workers are on strike, and the remaining 150 workers are being utilised for sanitation works in important places and main centres in the city. Apart from this, a few workers, not participating in the protests are also attending the duties and conducting door-to-door garbage collection.
Meanwhile, the strike is partial in Tenali, Ponnur and Narsaraopet, and Sattenapalli municipalities in Palnadu as some workers didn’t join the strike. Tension prevailed in Narasaraopet, as a few workers climbed onto a water tank to stage protests. The municipal officials and police personnel immediately rushed to the spot and convinced them to get down and continue the strike peacefully.
Stray animals feed on plastic waste in Visakhapatnam
Piles of garbage have accumulated in various parts of the district. Despite efforts by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to address the issue, it remains visible in many areas. The situation is anticipated to worsen as the public celebrates New Year’s Eve in open spaces.
In the KRM Colony area, instances were observed where cows, buffaloes, and dogs were feeding on discarded food and other waste along the roadside. However, several individuals, including ward corporations, have taken the initiative to clean their surroundings with the assistance of sanitation workers.
Tension as workers intercept sanitation vehicles
Approximately 150 private individuals in Ongole were mobilised for round-the-clock sanitation efforts.
This move drew protests from the striking workers, leading to an interception in Saturday’s sanitation operations in the city. Additionally, tension erupted as the sanitation workers who were on strike intercepted moving sanitation collecting autos, and dumper vehicles, prompting intervention by the police.
Pvt staff deputed for sanitation works in Nellore
Heaps of garbage are lying on the majority of the streets and the situation has become worse in some streets with the ongoing sanitation workers’ strike in Nellore and Tirupati cities. The civic bodies have been managing the situation with staff deputed on a daily basis. In Nellore, more than 320 MT waste is being generated on a daily basis, where 320 regular sanitation workers have been shifting 70 MT garbage on main streets and managing the situation. However, there have been no steps to collect garbage in the interior lanes of the city. Municipal Corporation Health officer Dr Venkataramana informed that they have deputed 350 private staff for sanitation activity in the city. He appealed to the public to hand over the waste to sanitation staff visiting at their doorsteps.