RAMANATHAPURAM: With garbage on roads continuing to prove a hassle for residents and tourists in Rameswaram, the municipality has now made it mandatory for all conservancy staff to maintain a registry of all cleaning work undertaken in their respective areas. Inadequate door-to-door waste collection and improper cleaning of wards had been one of the most raised complaints by the residents and ward councillors during the municipality grievance meeting.
Under the new initiative starting from Sunday, the cleaning workers must obtain signatures from the local ward councillor and also 10 residents upon completion of collecting waste and cleaning the streets. Strict orders have been issued regarding order compliance.
Municipality chairperson K E Nasarkhan said Rameswaram attracts a high number of tourist footfalls daily. "We had to enforce this registry system in all the 21 wards owing to repeated complaints of deficient working standards. Now, the workers have to get the councillor's signature on alternate days," he said.
When asked about the sewage release into agni theertham, Nasarkhan said measures are being taken towards plugging all inlets that are used to release sewage into the sea. The wastes will be transported to treatment plants using lorries, he added.