Nagole: Open area turns dump yard

Nagole: For reasons beyond the control of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and due lack of civic sense among the public, open plots lying in a residential area here have turned into dump yards. Apart from garbage heaps, one can also find sewerage pipelines in private lands, which are causing inconvenience to the residents and posting health risks, too, in Venkat Ramana Colony in the division.

It is learnt that due to a dispute between the contractor and the GHMC, the sewerage pipeline works got stalled mid-way in the area in 2007. The sewerage pipes of 1200 mm diameter were left in private lands. The issue even reached the court. People or officials could not remove these pipes from there as the issue is pending in the court.

However, following persistent protests by the locals, officials called for fresh tenders and gave the works to another contractor who completed the works in 2010.

Coming to the present conundrum of pipelines and garbage dumping, many complaints lodged by the locals to the GHMC Commissioner have not seen any change in the situation. Pipelines are there still.

One of the lands is located behind the Zilla Parishad Government High School. Garbage has been piling up there, bushes also grew up. Children and the faculty are affected by the stench emanating from the putrid wastes and mosquito breeding. People are also throwing carcasses of animals in the area.

GHMC officials who had done anti-larvae programmes and spraying could not clear the garbage or remove pipelines, as it is a private land. Locals want the officials to find a solution to the issue at the earliest.

"It was a contract taken up around 2007. The work was stopped due to the dispute between corporation and contractor. We are ordered by the officials not to touch those pipelines as legal proceedings are in process," said Ravindar, EE, GHMC.

"The issue was taken to the officials many times but every time, the same answer came from them that they cannot do anything," said Cherku Sangeetha Prashanth Goud, Corporator, Nagole.

"Despite lodging many complaints, nothing happened so far. Residents and the students of the government high school are suffering stench and mosquito bites," said Dasaratha Rao, the president of Sri Venkat Ramana Colony.

"We are facing a lot of trouble due to the foul smell coming from the waste materials. No officials visited the issue. People are throwing carcasses. We come to know of it only after they start decomposing," bemoaned Ashok Reddy, a resident of Venkat Ramana Colony.