Kakinada: Public outcry over poor sanitation

Kakinada: After receiving several complaints from public over poor sanitation in the Smart City of Kakinada, city MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy warned that he would not tolerate if sanitary workers failed to discharge their duties, particularly in low-lying and slum areas. Despite taking up developmental works in the Smart city, poor sanitation would bring bad name and he won't spare the KMC authorities if complaints pour in unabated, he added.

The MLA exhorted the officials to work with dedication and cooperation and wanted sanitary inspectors and ward volunteers to pay special attention with regard to sanitation work.

According to sources, Kakinada has a population of 3.20 lakhs based on the 2011 census and has an area of about 30.51 sq kms. The length of drains roughly extends to 700 km. Indrapalem to Somolkota canal road is dirty and uncleaned for days together and people are bitterly complaining about the lack of attendance of sanitary workers in their area.

Recently, District Collector and KMC Special Officer Dr Krithika Shukla inspected the drainage system in Kakinada and directed the officials to look into the issues where drainage system was stagnated with silt, mud and garbage. But the KMC authorities are negligent and paid deaf ear to her instructions.

People are requesting the Collector to take immediate action to retain the good name of Kakinada and help for cleaning of roads and drainages, to stop mosquitoes menace and maintaining tidiness of the entire Smart City.

Citizens' Initiative Secretary Duvvuri Subrahmanyam alleged that the sanitation officials are visiting the areas very causally and not checking or monitoring the sanitary staff. They are issuing show-cause notices without taking any action against the staff, he added. He urged the KMC Special Officer to curb mosquito menace and immediate action against those, who are negligent and reckless towards the problems of people. He requested the special officer to make use of the corporation budget to protect public health by cleaning the areas in the Smart City.

District TDP Rajaka Sadhikarika Samiti convener AVD Menta Rao questioned why sanitation in their locality is not done even though they are paying taxes regularly. He demanded the Kakinada Municipal Commissioner to pay attention to the sanitation works in their locality. He said that the sanitary inspectors are not adhering to their duties and the workers are attending to their works occasionally, once in three days and not regularly.

Speaking with The Hans India, KMC Additional Commissioner Ch Naga Narasimha Rao said that they have taken adequate steps to keep Kakinada tidy and make it free from mosquito menace and steps are also taken to improve the sanitary conditions. 'We are following the guidelines of the Special Officer in all these works,' he added.