Citizen Connect: Lack of sanitary workers to collect waste makes Tansi Nagar locals prone to health risks

Residents of Tansi Nagar said that sanitary workers have not collected waste from their doorsteps in over a week. “Due to the presence of food waste, stray dogs assemble in large numbers near the bin. This scares people who want to cross the area. Earlier, there was no bin placed in the area and there was door to door collection of garbage by the sanitary workers. But after the bin was placed, the entire locality is unclean.” said M Balakrishnan, General Secretary, Tansi Nagar Welfare Association. He added that when the matter was taken up with the concerned authorities, they promised to act but nothing has happened so far.

“The Corporation asks us to segregate dry and wet waste as it would be easy for the sanitary workers to collect. But even after following their instruction, there is no one to collect the garbage. So, we don’t have a choice but throw it in the bin,” he added.

Residents also complain that stray dogs and cattle eat plastic from the waste and scatter it, too. A few residents said that the issue poses a health hazard and makes the streets look messy. “The garbage dumped has not only worsened the locality’s hygiene but also increased mosquito menace. A foul smell is also emerging from the pile with cattle feeding on it. Many children have been hospitalised due to the unhygienic environment. We request officials to act fast and clear the spot as soon as possible,” said Manikandan R, another resident.

“The situation becomes worse during rainy days as the threat from diseases increases, and the garbage floats in the water. Just keeping a garbage bin to throw waste is not enough until it is cleaned on time. Sanitary workers are not bothered to clean the waste on the road and even if they are requested, they ignore us,” said Bhuvaneswari K, a resident of Tansi Nagar. When contacted the zonal office, a senior official said, “We keep monitoring the area and make sure we clear the garbage daily. We will take immediate steps.”