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Councillors dump waste in municipal office complex

Photo: T. Singaravelou

‘Stinking’ stir: Garbage dumped in the Pondicherry Municipal Office complex. —

PUDUCHERRY: The Pondicherry Municipal Office complex on Friday was converted into a dumping yard by irate councillors belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Congress and the Puducherry Munnetra Congress (PMC). They were protesting against the “delay in clearing the garbage.”

Councillors belonging to the three parties representing all the eight wards in Muthialpet Assembly segment expressed their indignation by dumping waste collected from their areas on the municipal office premises.

Flaying the municipal authorities for the delay in introducing solid waste management system covering their wards, the councillors transported three truck-loads of garbage collected to the office and unloaded them in the portico.

As the trucks started plying towards the building, the municipal authorities informed the police. However, the policemen could not convince the representatives from dumping the garbage on the premises. The councillors said setting up of the solid waste management system was delayed, though the municipal council adopted a resolution on July 6 to hand over the garbage clearing work to self-help groups.

In places, including Vaidikkuppam, Debassanpet, Muthialpet 1 and 2, T.V Nagar, Ramakrishna Nagar and Sholai Nagar, garbage was not cleared for several days, they alleged. Most of the streets were filled with waste, attracting stray dogs and rodents, they added.

According to S. Kavitha, councillor of Debassanpet, the authorities had done nothing to expedite the project despite repeated pleas . The resolution was adopted to hand over the job to SHGs, owing to shortage of conservancy workers. Citing an example, she said in Sholai Nagar, which has 32 streets, only two conservancy workers had to clear the garbage.

The councillors withdrew the protest only after an assurance from municipality chairperson Sridevi that remedial measures would be taken in a week. The garbage, which was dumped on the premises in the morning, was cleared at about 3 p.m., municipal officials said.

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