TIRUCHY: It's celebration time for the whole of Tamil Nadu, but not for a section which continues to work, allotting little time for its near and dear ones. Sanitation workers across Tiruchy have been working hard to clear the waste left behind by Pongal festivities on several streets of the city. Many of these workers were working from morning to noon on Thursday and Friday, to prevent the piling up of garbage in public places.
"It is a holiday for most of our officials. But, they are unable to give us a full-day holiday as it would lead to garbage piling up on most of the streets. Therefore, we were asked to work till noon on Thursday and Friday. Though we would like to spend more time with our family on such festival days, these celebrations increase our workload. It is sad that residents carelessly dump garbage everywhere during festivals," a sanitation worker in Srirangam said.
Normally, the city generates about 450 tonnes of garbage every day. But, during festivals, an additional 250 tonnes of waste makes it way to the streets.
A Corporation official said, "Many sanitation workers asked us whether they would get a holiday, at least on the Pongal day. But, we explained to them the situation and asked them to work only for a half-day duty on Thursday and Friday. If these workers are allotted a full day holiday, clearing the streets after two days would become a herculean task and residents would start complaining. Incessant rain over the past few days has compelled us to ensure that workers are on duty at least for half a day. Garbage mixed with stormwater can create health issues."
The rain has also made the cleaning of streets more challenging than usual.
"We are unable to clear the garbage in many areas within the stipulated time due to the rain. We are also forced to work in the downpour to ensure that the garbage does not get mixed with rainwater," a sanitation worker in K Abhishekapuram zone said.