Waste dumping menace plagues Madavana NH service road

Kochi: The service road along NH 66 at Madavana has turned into a major dumping ground for food waste, causing severe hardship to locals and commuters."The only public toilet complex provided by NHAI is located at one end of the service road, opposite Panangad police station. Motorists, particularly long-distance travellers, frequently park their vehicles along the nearly one-km-long service road stretch to utilise the facility. However, many passengers routinely discard food waste, plastic wrappers and leftovers in the area before resuming their journey," rued Rahul T, former councillor. The waste is being dumped indiscriminately along the stretch, which is bounded on one side by the compound wall of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos). The accumulation of garbage has led to an unbearable stench, a growing rodent menace, and a stray dog gathering point, posing a significant health hazard and compromising the safety of pedestrians. With the monsoon approaching, locals and Kufos authorities urged the local body and police to take immediate action. They demanded the installation of CCTV cameras, prominent ‘No Littering' signage, and the regular clearing of waste to restore hygiene to the vital stretch.