Unresolved issues of garbage clearance between the GHMC authorities and labourers are set to stink up the city, the tremors of which are already being felt across various locations.
On Thursday, despite it being a festival day, trash mounds were found uncleared at several spots, which had the residents wincing and complaining. The garbage got accumulated at locations where the trademark blue bins of GHMC had existed earlier.
The bins have been removed recently, but the waste kept accumulating at the locations due to lack of any alternative system to collect garbage. Several social media users complained of uncleared garbage, and questioned the GHMC’s decision to remove the bins without making alternative arrangements.
“Dear GHMC, Everyday I am seeing this in Attapur area, this is on the Erraboda main road. Please understand that we cannot walk or drive on the road by smelling the garbage. Please make our Hyderabad as swatch city. We want to see clean roads,” tweeted one Sarveswara Rao Eluri, posting a picture of trash dumped on roadside.
Garbage mounds could be found at locations including Asifnagar, Attapur, Amberpet, Chikkadapally, Khairatabad, Nampally, Malakpet and several other areas.
GHMC sanitation wing officials have not responded to queries about the situation, while workers’ unions allege that this is a ploy on part of the authorities to privatise garbage transportation notwithstanding resistance by workers.
President of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Employees’ Union (GHMEU) Udhari Gopal said workers have been on agitation mode for quite some time against the move to bring in Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited (REEL), the concessionaire partner of GHMC for solid waste management, into garbage transportation.
Though as per the original agreement penned with REEL, the whole cycle of waste management, along with transportation is to be handed over to the concessionaire partner, it could not be done due to vociferous opposition from unions.
“This is an attempt to bring in Ramky through back door. In Khairatabad, Malakpet and Kavadiguda, our workers are being stopped from lifting garbage. They have now removed the bins so as to create unrest among public, so that the transition from public to private could be easy,” alleges Mr. Gopal.
