Hyderabad: Though GHMC launched Swachh Hyderabad across the city on a war-footing, the approach is cosmetic and things will be back to square one once the 36,000 officials, bureaucrats and elected representatives resume their normal duties.
Blaming the shortage in staff and insufficient infrastructure, a senior official of the GHMC said, “Though around 4,000 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the city every day, lack of staff and problems with existing vehicles have led to only around 3,200 metric tonnes being deposited at the dumpyard.”
Lack of awareness and accountability in the public might also become a major lacuna in achieving a Swachh Hyderabad, one of the officials said.
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“For instance, sanitation staff members clean the community bins in the morning. But by afternoon, residents and shopkeepers again dump garbage in the bins,” said an assistant medical officer of the health department of the GHMC.
To improve efficiency in garbage collection, GHMC officials said they are now planning to hold regular colony meets to bring awareness and increase the number of tricycles.
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Another issue is stormwater flooding the city even during unseasonal rains. The city needs at least 5,000 kms of stormwater drains, but not even half of the required length is available. Nalas have also been encroached upon.
Officials said they are holding discussions with encroachers to chart out a suitable action plan. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, while visiting Ashoknagar, as part of the Swachh Hyderabad programme, announced a Rs 5-crore project for widening the drain.
Read: Cleaning up: Chief Minister KCR launches 'Swachh Hyderabad'
