HYDERABAD: Piles of garbage, overflowing drainages, debris filled streets and plastic strewn roads greeted Hyderabadis on Thursday, as the strike by GHMC and HMWS&SB workers entered the fourth day.
Besides the foul smell, people woke up to dry taps in many areas of the city including: Banjara Hills, Toli Chowki, Narayanguda, Malakpet, Nallukunta and most peripheral areas of the city. Even the supply of water by tankers has been disrupted by the strike.
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The water shortage and sewerage overflows have been triggered due to strike by HMWS&SB Kamgar Union. Tension prevailed at HMWS&SB office at Khairatabad as union leader Suresh Babu, who was on a hunger strike, was shifted to a corporate hospital as his health deteriorated. The striking employees tried to barge into MD’s chambers but were stopped by a large posse of policemen who rushed to the Water Board office to bring the situation under control.
The State Government has refused to budge after the breakdown of talks on Wednesday with the leaders of striking Telangana Municipal Employees and Workers United Association. The unions have decided to continue their strike till their demands are met by the state government.
According to an estimate, nearly 18,000 tonnes of garbage has been generated (including 2000 tonnes in the old city due to Ramzan) over the past four days of which only about 400 tonnes have been cleared after the civic body made alternative arrangements by hiring private vehicles and labourers.
Sweeping of roads, lifting and transportation of garbage have been badly affected in parts of the city as most of the striking contract workers deal with sanitation and transport duties.
GHMC Special Officer Somesh Kumar informed that GHMC has deployed 400 vehicles with four labourers each and they will be attached to 400 Swachh Units. Swachh Units will engage 20 labourers at ` 350 per labourer per day to take up sanitation related work.