Overflowing garbage, stray cattle menace irk residents of Thapalpetti
A few accidents were reported in the city a few months ago due to stray cattle attacks.
Stray cattle eating out of garbage bins in the area.
CHENNAI: Residents of Palaniappa Nagar in Madhavaram are fuming over the lackadaisical attitude of the local body officials in addressing their grievances over accumulated garbage and stray cattle menace.
They have been telling the corporation to regularise solid waste management in the area for over the past 10 months.
“Earlier, there were two dustbins on the street, which continued to overflow and led to stray animal menace. After many complaints were raised to the local body, they removed one bin. Due to a shortage of manpower, door-to-door garbage collection is done only on alternate days. These bins turn into feeding points for stray cattle and horses at night. In the morning, we see the garbage littered around stinking up the place, and it’s near a private school,” said S Jayachandran, Secretary, Palaniappa Nagar Civic Association.
A few accidents were reported in the city a few months ago due to stray cattle attacks.
“Even after that, the local body has failed to prioritise the issue and catch these animals periodically. In all these months, it has caught cattle only once after several complaints. Later, it was let out free. Now, even the owners don’t keep the cattle in the shelter,” he lamented. “We even asked the Corporation to impose penalties on those who litter public places, as we’re concerned about hygiene, especially during the monsoons.”
“Officials who visit the place request to avoid sharing the issues on social media as it’s seen by a wider audience. But, they don’t do the work,” said another resident of Palaniappa Nagar. “Similarly, the councillor of Ward 28 has not interacted with us about these issues. We don’t know what’s being done to the funds provided for the ward developmental works.”
When contacted, S Bhaskaran, zonal officer of Madhavaram (Zone 3) stated that the door-to-door garbage collection and waste removal from dustbins has been regularised.
“Due to shortage in vehicles for cattle catching, we’ve been using one vehicle for both Madhavaram and Tondiarpet zones. We’ll urge workers to catch them twice a day to control the menace in the area,” added the officer.