Overflowing solid waste raises a stink in Avadi Corporation
Residents lament over the tax they have been paying for years, and accuse the Corporation workers of being lackadaisical in collecting waste.
Solid waste is found strewn along the roadsides
CHENNAI: Avadi was upgraded into a municipal corporation in 2019, which promised better amenities and infrastructure. Fast forward to present day, solid waste management continues to be a perennial issue in the area.
Residents lament over the tax they have been paying for years, and accuse the Corporation workers of being lackadaisical in collecting waste.
Insiders at the Avadi Corporation said that there was an acute shortage of vehicles to collect the waste. “There are times when the waste is collected once in 15 days, and by then, most bins are overflowing. Sanitary workers are not provided proper gloves or masks for protection. Councillors don’t know how to resolve this issue. We urge the contractors to look into it and solve the chaos,” said the source.
In the areas near Pattabiram railway station, indiscriminate dumping of garbage is common. Old beds, rusted irons, and wet waste are in several stages of decomposition, which emanates a bad odour. “The area near Pattabiram railway station is used to shift the garbage from smaller vehicles to larger vehicles. The waste is fully scattered in the area, and poses a health hazard to school students. It has become a haven for stray cattle and dogs,” rued Sridhar Kumar, secretary, Pattabiram Gopalapuram Makkal Seva Sangam.
In most places, Corporation workers visit door-to-door to collect kitchen waste only. “Other household wastes are not taken, so many residents dump it near the roadside. In Pattabiram, the battery-operated vehicles for waste collection are said to be in repair for most of the time,” said T Sadagopan, an activist from Pattabiram.
When contacted, a senior official attached to the Avadi Corporation said, “Around 180 tonnes of waste are collected from the four zones each day. Collection process was given on contract from 2022. There are more than 800 sanitary workers and 40-plus staff to monitor the workers who are working under the contractor. Whenever an issue is raised, we direct the contractor to solve it. There is also a helpline number for residents to raise their grievances.”
To monitor the waste collection, there is GPS installed in the vehicles that collect the waste.
“There are 220 vehicles, which include heavy commercial vehicles, light commercial vehicles, and battery-operated vehicles, in which the wastes are collected and taken to the Sekkadu dump yard. There are around 15 micro composters that process the wet waste, which is then given to the farmers at a very cheap price,” pointed out the official.