Even though Hyderabad is one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities in our country, garbage collection and disposal seem to be an enormous task. The disturbing image of rubbish mounds lining city streets is reflects that.
To maintain the city clean, GHMC spends hundreds of crores annually on garbage transportation, labour, and infrastructure. Clean streets, nevertheless, seem like a faraway goal given the corporation’s ineffective management.
Years back, municipal dustbins were removed from multiple locations to make the city bin-free. This was done as it was anticipated that the Swachh Auto Tippers (SATs) would collect 100 per cent of municipal waste and that were would be no need for these bins.
However, the SATs were ineffective in some areas, which lead to the Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs). An estimated 3,400 GVPs were identified across the city, which are not just an eye sore but are breeding grounds for insects and bacteria.
Along with colonies, commercial places are another cause for these GVP. Although there are policies that compel business owners to collect and dispose of trash that is generated through their business, most business owners, especially wine shops and weekly market, barely do that.
With no dust bins, customers also feel free to dump the trash on the corner of a road, which in some cases, turns into a dumpsite that also doubles as an open urinal.
While the GHMC is trying to change the status quo with Basti Action Plan and other awareness activities, the problem persists.
