This is no road to Swachh Bharath

Foul smell, garbage dump, rotten vegetables, pigs, mosquitoes and dead animals garnish the view opposite the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPD) a department under the Central Government in Manovikasnagar, Old bowenpally.

This stretch which falls under the Secunderabad Cantonment was once famous for morning walks. But now it is just a massive dump yard with pigs, garbage, feces, and mosquitoes. It has, in fact, turned into an infamous landmark in the area.

The vacant land is now commonly used for dumping solid waste causing health risks to the residents living in nearby colonies.

Despite several complaints by the residents living in the proximity, the stench still lingers as there has been no action by the authorities. The area has several decent colonies nearby, but the residents cannot sit out on the porch without being greeted by the mosquitoes and the consequences.

Even for a city that is used to living with the garbage around, this is a bit too much. The unbearable stench makes you want to hold your breath when you pass through this road. The garbage dump is bang opposite the government institute.

The pigs have begun to enter the residential colonies in the area posing a health risk for the dwellers. The area is already witnessing a surge in viral infections and dengue cases. The pigs sometimes also lured by the garbage run onto the roads putting the travelers at risk.

"It's not just the smell. If you walk by that road you feel like quickly taking a bath. You feel like you just passed through a cocktail of diseases" says, Sudheer Reddy a resident from a nearby colony.

It's just a matter of time before the residents in the area start getting infected by some disease or the other.

Looking at these sights one really wonders if the Swach Bharath Mission was anything beyond a campaign.