Stinking streets, silent authorities: Garbage crisis grips city

Hyderabad: The unbearable stench emanating from heaps of garbage and filthy surroundings is causing severe inconvenience to residents across the city. Garbage that has been lying unattended on roads for several days has emerged as a major problem in several colonies.

Residents lament that they are unable to tolerate the foul smell and allege that no officials from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have responded despite repeated requests to clear the garbage.

The authorities need to step up sanitation measures across the city. “With garbage dumped on roadsides and in open spaces, it has become difficult for residents to commute. Moreover, the menace of stray dogs has increased, with packs of canines making these garbage mounds their source of food and attacking passers-by,” said M. Naveen, a resident of Shanthi Nagar.

In various localities, including Khairtabad, Nampally, Malakpet, and the posh areas of Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Somajiguda, Filmnagar and Shaikpet, as well as Tolichowki, Kukatpally, KPHB, Begumpet, Ameerpet, Secunderabad and the entire Old City, heaps of garbage can be seen lying unattended, residents alleged. Residents of Erragadda are also facing serious problems due to garbage dumping on roads. Most streets and lanes in the area are littered with waste dumped by some locals. Cows are often seen scavenging through the garbage for food, while flies and mosquitoes swarm the area.

Taking to social media, Shoeb Mansoor said the same filth, foul smell and public urination persist every day at a particular spot. “We need permanent removal of this garbage point, not temporary lifting. People cannot walk or drive on the road because of the foul smell, and the entire road turns filthy,” he posted on X, tagging GHMC and the Mayor.

Rajkumar, a resident of KPHB, said the GHMC garbage collectors are reluctant to collect waste from his locality. “The rotten smell of dead animals and garbage piled up greets us every morning as we leave for work,” he said.

According to activists, unattended garbage lying on roads emits a foul smell and causes daily inconvenience to citizens. “One of the major challenges faced by the civic body is garbage management. When neglected for days, these garbage heaps turn into breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” said Mohammed Ahmed, TDP Minority Cell vice president.

Ahmed further alleged that GHMC officials are misleading netizens who raise issues online by posting grievances as ‘resolved’ without actually addressing them. Despite having multiple digital grievance redressal mechanisms, including the GHMC app, X and a helpline, issues raised by citizens often remain unattended even as they are marked cleared, he said.