Chennai: Residents of Velacheri are irked as heaps of garbage remain uncollected in the neighbourhood despite repeated calls to the Chennai Corporation.
Several streets, such as Annai Indira Nagar, Baby Nagar and Dhandeeswaram, have trash overflowing and spilling onto the roads. At places where the dumpsters are missing, garbage can be seen heaped on the roadsides.
It is said that despite informing the civic body many times, the waste is removed several days after a complaint is made. People living near the Dhandeeswaram temple feel sad that the aesthetics of the holy place is being affected due to the issue.
However, some say that the Corporation officials have a hard time as well. It is suspected that the issue is rising as the tenure of agency which was appointed for the purpose ends in a few months. Kumararaja, Vice-president of Annai Indira Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association, says that the reality is that the agency is lethargic as it has neared the end of its tenure. “They know they will not bag a second tenure. The tri-cycles and lorries are worn out. The agency is not interested in re-placing them as it is not an investment anymore.”
“If we inform about the uncleared garbage, action is taken a couple of days later. Segregation of waste is never a reality here as well. Some of the streets are so pathetic that we cannot walk on them. Despite a dedicated team deployed by the Chennai Corporation for clearing garbage, we are facing this problem. The situation is worse at Shasthri Nagar, Sarathy Nagar, VGP Sleva Nagar and near a park at Baby Nagar,” he rues.