Coimbatore residents slam CCMC over delayed garbage collection after Pongal holidays

The CCMC engages more than 3,000 sanitary workers in door-to-door collection in 100 wards of the city, but a majority of them did not report for work on Thursday after the festival holidays.
Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation
Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation(File photo )
Updated on
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COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has been caught napping as a majority of sanitation workers are yet to report for work after the Pongal holidays. As a result, garbage collection and disposal work have been severely  affected. With door-to-door garbage collection also affected, residents slammed the civic body for not making alternative arrangements during the holidays.

The CCMC engages more than 3,000 sanitary workers in door-to-door collection in 100 wards of the city, but a majority of them did not report for work on Thursday after the festival holidays. Due to this, garbage has not been collected and waste has piled up on the roads in several localities, including Kavundampalayam, Vadavalli, Ramanathapuram and Kuniyamuthur.

Many residents said the problem is a recurring issue during festival seasons. “This happens every year. It’s not just about the holidays; it’s the lack of preparedness by the CCMC,” said K Ramesh, a resident of Kavundampalayam. “We are paying taxes which includes dedicated charges for garbage collection and disposal services. But garbage collection is often neglected. It’s unbearable to live near these garbage dumps.

Sanitary workers haven’t shown up in our area for the past four days.”
Adding to the woes, the delayed resumption of waste collection services has disrupted the daily lives of traders and they have raised concerns. “Customers avoid coming to our shops because of the stench. If this continues, it will hurt our livelihoods,” lamented S Kavitha, a shop owner on Raja Street.

Health experts have also warned about the potential outbreak of diseases due to the unhygienic conditions. As the garbage piles grow, residents hope for swift action from the civic body to restore cleanliness and prevent similar situation in future.

When contacted, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said, “I was told that a few sanitary workers hadn’t returned to work after the festival which has affected the garbage collection work. I’ve instructed them to report back to their duty immediately. They will all return tomorrow (Saturday) and the problems will be addressed in the next two days.”

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