MADURAI: Sightings of heaps of stinking garbage, stray animals feeding on discarded food waste and overflowing bins have become commonplace across several parts of the city, which the residents have largely attributed to severe lapses in garbage collection and poor waste management.
Moreover, the ongoing stand-off between sanitation workers and a private contractor has exacerbated the issue. The residents alleged that the corporation's poor handling of waste collection has turned garbage clearance into an everyday struggle, contradicting the civic body's claim of regular waste clearance.
Every day, the city generates a total of about 850 tonnes of waste from across its 100 wards. Officials said waste is segregated, with wet waste sent to 30 micro composting centres and the rest to Vellakkal for bio-mining and further processing. However, the system simply does not work as promised, claimed the residents.
S Saruviswa, a resident, said, "In MMC Colony, the waste collected is dumped in the open and cleared once every two days. The stench is unbearable, and stray dogs and cattle forage for food there."
Several other residents pointed out that while the bins on the main roads are cleared on time, the interior lanes largely remain neglected. "In small lanes, garbage is removed only once every two or three days," said K Anbuarasan, another resident.
Further, traders have complained that the delay in clearing vegetable waste has turned the Mattuthavani vegetable market unhygienic. "Thousands visit the market daily, but the waste remains uncleared for hours. The foul smell and flies are a nightmare," said a trader.
The waste management issue rocked a recent corporation council meeting, where several councillors flagged the repeated disputes between the sanitary workers and the private agency handling solid waste management. They warned that these conflicts were directly affecting the hygiene in the city and demanded immediate intervention. "Garbage clearance is a basic civic duty. The corporation cannot allow contractor-worker fights to cripple the system," said a councillor.
Meanwhile, corporation officials maintained that necessary measures are in place. "Transit centres, mass cleaning drives, and the next stage of bio-mining at Vellakkal are underway. We are taking action to ensure regular clearance," said an official.
However, for the residents, the promise of new projects means little if garbage outside their homes is not cleared daily. "We don't want excuses or drives. We just want timely collection of garbage. Until then, the city will remain dirty," said a resident.