Poor response to municipal corp’s cleanliness drive

Vijayawada: Vijayawada Municipal Corporation’s (

VMC

) efforts to promote cleanliness in the city has received a poor response from the people.

Dumping of garbage in public spaces is worrying the VMC officials. In a bid to control this menace, officials have imposed penalty of Rs 3lakh on each household who are found dumping garbage on the streets.

The VMC, which is aiming to improve ranking in Swachh Survekshan-2018 survey, has introduced major reforms in segregation of wet and dry garbage collection. Sanitation wing of VMC, under the guidance of commissioner J Nivas, has conducted awareness camps in residential colonies and urged the locals to handover the garbage in accordance to the requirement of the sanitation staff who come door-to-door.

However, the promotion drive, organised by the civic body, is failing to give results. Huge piles of garbage is seen near major junctions in the city. The sanitation conditions in commercials areas such as Governorpet, One Town, Chittinagar, Nakkala Road is poor. Civic body authorities seem frustrated with the attitude of traders and other persons running small-time business on city roads.

“Reforms introduced by VMC in garbage management are failing to give results. Huge dump of garbage is seen piled beside Jaihind Theatre Complex in Governorpet. This shows the negligence of the civic body. The area is 20 feet away from Besant Road the most happening place in the city and still, officials are ignoring the sanitation condition,” said Bandi Nagaraj, a techie.

Open dumping in canal bunds is continuing unabated in the city. “Canal bunds in the city have become a hub for dumping and civic body is failing to control dumping there. Fruit vendors are dumping waste directly into canals from bridges at Lenin Centre and Vijay Talkies. This is going on because there is huge delay in fencing works on canal bunds,” said Avinash Babu P, who works in private bank.

Sanitation wing of VMC has decided to act firm on open dumping as Swachh Survekshan survey is fast approaching. “VMC will not tolerate anyone who pollutes city with open dumping of garbage. Sanitary inspectors who are imposing penalties for open urination will also take stringent action on those who encourage open dumping in the city,” said VMC chief medical and health officer-in-charge Babu Srinivas.

Fencing works on bridges will be completed within a week and huge fines will be imposed on those who dump construction wastes in canal bunds, he added.