Citizen Connect: Overflowing, haphazardly kept bins cause hardship to motorists, residents at Kolathur

The non-clearance of garbage and haphazard placement of the bins are hindering vehicular movement and causing hardship for those passing by Kolathur Main Road, rue local residents. But the conservancy workers retort that the public are equally responsible for the present situation.

Overflowing garbage bins is a persistent problem that the residents of Teachers Guild Colony in Kolathur have been facing for some time. The waste thus overflows and spills all around the bin, spreading on to the road. When vehicles that pass by drive over the discard, the surroundings is dirtied further.

“Because the Corporation workers are not clearing the garbage regularly, the bins are overflowing. This is the case not only with the bin on Kolathur Main Road; the waste is not cleared regularly from the interior areas, too. You can see most of the bins in the locality overflowing,” complained Saravanan, a resident of the Teachers Guild Colony.

Besides this, the bins are kept on the road, encroaching the space which in turn affects the movement of vehicles on Kolathur Main Road. “The garbage accumulates for months and it encroaches upon the road, restricting the free flow of traffic. This is an important connecting road for motorists travelling from Villivakkam and Kolathur to Perambur, ICF and GKM Colony areas,” S Hari, a local resident said.

Hemavathy, a resident of Poompuhar Nagar said that it was always difficult to walk close to the bins on Kolathur Main Road, as there is garbage strewn all around it. “The area stinks, especially after the recent rains, and there are plenty of mosquitoes breeding in the area. We are concerned for our health.” She said garbage attracts dogs and cows causing a public menace. “At night, it is really scary to walk close to the garbage bin because the stray dogs chase the passers-by,” she said.

But when asked, a conservancy worker of the Greater Chennai Corporation complained that even though they clear the garbage daily, the residents are dumping the garbage everywhere. “Some people throw garbage into the bin while riding a bike, most of which falls on the road. The public should put the garbage inside the bin. We are clearing the garbage on a daily basis on the Kolathur Main Road. But eateries and other shopkeepers keep dumping the wastes leading to its accumulation,” the worker said.