Bereft of attention, MLA Hostel Road in Chepauk turns into a dumping yard

When DTNext visited the MLA Hostel Road on Friday, mounds of unattended garbage were seen strewn around, especially near the designated protest spot. Commuters who pass through the road said that the uncleared garbage is a regular sight. 

Srivatsan, a marketing professional, said, “I cannot recall a single day when I haven’t seen garbage there. I haven’t seen much vehicle traffic on that stretch as well. It speaks of apathy by conservancy workers and the shoddy job being done in the name of garbage clearance.” 

Meera R, a media professional, added that there is a lingering  foul smell in the area due to the garbage. 

“Chepauk is a prime locality and there is no reason to overlook the problem. One cannot enter the stretch when it rains. I also doubt that the frequent protests have something to do with the clutter of garbage not being removed. There are educational institutions and other prominent public places nearby. What kind of an example are the authorities concerned trying to set,” she questioned. 

When contacted, a senior official from Zone 9 of GCC insisted that the stretch is cleaned once a day, in the mornings, without fail. “As with the rest of the zone, conservancy workers clear the garbage every day without fail. However, now that a specific complaint has been raised, we will check the spot again to ensure that it is clean,” said the official. 

Significantly, commuters also blame the public for their callous attitude towards cleanliness, especially during a protest. “They (protesters) litter the area with cups and bottles without any sense of responsibility. The authorities should penalise the groups involved in such cases,” said Meera.