Unsegregated waste from local eateries and by a few residents in Ward 27 poses a menace for conservancy workers and toughens the solid waste management process, according to the Corporation.
A residential area close to the Peelamedu Railway Station up to Mahatma Gandhi Road, the ward consists of small apartments mostly.
B. Sangeetha (45), who runs an eatery close to the Peelamedu Post Office, said she does not always segregate the waste while handing it over to the conservancy workers. “Sometimes, during door-to-door collection early in the day, I hand over the kitchen waste to the workers who arrive here every day. If the shop is opened later in the day, all the waste collected from the shop — leftovers, kitchen waste, aluminium foils, plastic containers — are disposed of near the school close-by,” she said.
The meat waste from the three butcher shops in the ward is collected separately daily, she added.
M. Senthil Kumar, a resident near Rajagopal Nagar, alleged, “Even unsegregated domestic waste — sanitary, kitchen, plastic and household — is dumped either near the school or near the Sanganoor Pallam bridge [in ward 28]. There is only one bin for each road, which overflows often. Hence, garbage is dumped in the open.”
Storm water drains also get clogged often due to garbage accumulation, which is cleared by the workers every week, he added.
Corporation Zonal Sanitary Officer R. Radhakrishnan said that notices and pamphlets on segregation were issued to local people repeatedly. “Conservancy workers submit daily reports on the amount of organic, inorganic and plastic waste collected. There may be snags in a few places which will be rectified immediately,” he said.
Threat for motorists
A pit on M.G Road in the ward has been posing a threat, especially for motorists, during heavy traffic congestion in the street, alleged Mr. Kumar.
The pit is located on the roadside, abutting the storm water drain near the junction where MG Road, Aavaramapalayam Road and Peelamedu meet. So far this year, three motorists were rescued by passersby and shopkeepers in the locality.
Corporation Commissioner M. Prathap said the officials will look into the cause of the pit and repair the road immediately.