TIRUCHY: Collection of waste from the doorstep of residents has slowed down in several parts of the city after 60 of the 208 battery-operated vehicles used by the corporation have gone dysfunctional owing to technical faults.
The civic body collects waste at the doorstep in 65 wards benefiting over 3 lakh households. The fleet consists of 238 light commercial vehicles, 14 heavy commercial vehicles and 208 battery-operated vehicles, all purchased in 2022, collect waste from narrow streets and densely populated residential areas where larger vehicles cannot reach. The corporation outsourced the maintenance of these vehicles to a private agency in 2023. Sources said the vehicles that are currently operational are also poorly maintained and may run into issues anytime.
Councillors said garbage is being left on street corners in several localities. In many areas, workers are forced to manually collect waste on foot from narrow streets and transfer it to pushcarts or light commercial vehicles. A total of 1,180 sanitary workers are involved in waste collection, while another 630 are engaged in sweeping the roads.
Speaking to TNIE, Ward 23 Councillor K Suresh Kumar said, "Due to a shortage of functional battery vehicles, garbage collection has been affected. Workers are under additional burden, and their working hours have increased. Pushcarts are not a complete solution as they cannot cover all areas effectively."
He also rued about improper waste disposal practices, alleging that in some localities waste is not transported to designated composting centres, and instead dumped in vacant spots in Kudamurutti and other areas.
R Muthamil, a resident of Sandhukadai said, "Garbage collection is irregular. We are forced to keep the waste at home or dump it on the pushcart parked on the roadside. Dumping of waste on street corners creates foul smell and also attracts stray cattle and dogs."
A sanitary worker said, "Battery vehicles used to cover narrow streets quickly. Using pushcarts slows down the work. We have to walk long distances carrying the waste, and it takes a lot more time and effort."
When contacted, a corporation official said steps are being taken to address the issue. "We have decided to procure new battery-operated vehicles, and the proposal has been approved recently. We will float tenders soon. Until then, we are deploying additional pushcarts and light commercial vehicles to ensure there is no major disruption in waste collection."