Hyderabad: Road shows, door-to-door campaigning and mass meetings are generating an additional 800 metric tons of garbage in the city, complain workers.
Around 250 GHMC drivers need to make extra two-three trips daily to transport the additional garbage and the dustbins of many colonies are overflowing with un-lifted garbage. During various election meetings the quantity goes up to 1000 metric tons.
Vinay Kapoor, general secretary of Bhagyanagar Municipal union, said, “The quantity of garbage varies between 500 to 1000 metric tons depending on the campaign. Leftover food, water packets, empty bottles, pamphlets and garlands make up the extra burden. Road sweeping and transportation staff have to break their backs to clean the pathways. Every lane and by-lane is filled with left overs of the campaigns. Excess garbage is found near community halls and party offices where candidates’ sidekicks are stationed. The municipal body has 250 drivers who usually make four trips to transport the garbage to Jawahar Nagar, but now additional two trips are compulsory.
While close to 6,000 unauthorised banners, bill boards, flexis and posters of various political parties across the city have been removed by the civic body as part of enforcement of the model code of poll conduct that came into effect on March 5, the plastic material have not been dumped at Jawahar Nagar.
GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar said, “Since all the officials are busy with election duty, the banners and others promotional material have been temporary dumped at a safe place and will be disposed in an environment- friendly manner after the elections.”
Ms Avanthi Sharma of old Alwal said, “The society dust bin had been overflowing since last Monday, several calls were made to the GHMC call centre and the workers only came on Friday, they complained of additional garbage and did not take it.”
