HYDERABAD: A division bench of Telangana High Court on Monday directed the GHMC commissioner to appear in court on January 27 to explain the steps taken with respect of dumping garbage by the GHMC at Jawahar Nagar dumpyard, and in identifying three alternative locations to shift the existing dumpyard.
"Why are the officials negligent in their duties when people are suffering due to unhygienic conditions?" the bench questioned the authorities concerned.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Abhishek Reddy was passing this order in a PIL filed which was taken up based on a letter addressed to the High Court by Colonel Sitamraju, resident of the city, stating that the foul smell emanating from this dumpyard has been making the life miserable for the residents of Sainikpuri, Kapra, Yapral and surrounding areas.
The colonel, in his letter, submitted that with the stench becoming unbearable, the residents were forced to keep their doors and windows shut as the garbage being dumped at the dumpyard crossed the 7,000 metric tonnes mark.
An estimated 7,000 metric tonnes of waste generated by the city is transported daily to Jawahar Nagar. But with the dumpyard able to process only 5,500 metric tonnes of waste a day, the excess garbage stacks up.
While the GHMC had earlier identified three alternative locations in Medak and Ranga Reddy districts (Lakdaram of Patancheru, Papireddyguda of Keshampet and Pyaranagar at Dundigal) to shift the Jawahar Nagar dump, the proposal has been stuck in limbo with locals opposing the move.
The garbage in the existing dumpyard has reached its saturation point, the colonel pointed out and urged the High Court to issue directions to the authorities concerned for protecting residents from the unhygienic conditions which is adversely affecting public health.
When the matter came up for hearing, the bench asked as to what the officials were doing when a series of reports were being published in newspapers on the issue. The bench then directed the GHMC commissioner to appear before it on January 27 to explain the steps taken on the issue, and adjourned the case hearing.