Waste wreaks havoc in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar and Royapuram zones

CHENNAI: Overflowing garbage bins, foul odours, and uncollected waste have severely affected daily life in parts of North Chennai, as cleanliness services remain paralysed for the fifth consecutive day in Royapuram (Zone 5) and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar (6) zones.

Over 1,000 National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) workers, previously hired on contract by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), have been protesting outside Ripon Building since August 1.

The workers were asked to shift to a private firm that recently took over solid waste management operations. Fearing wage cuts and loss of job security, they have refused to join the new contractor.

With most workers off duty, bins and roadside corners have turned into mini dump yards, especially in congested areas like Broadway, Sowcarpet, Park Town, Pulianthope and Perambur. Residents and shopkeepers have voiced concerns over hygiene and health hazards.

“The bin opposite my shop is overflowing with flower and vegetable waste. The stench is unbearable,” rued P Murugan, a flower vendor at Badrian Street, George Town.

Ramesh Ramadoss, a resident of Old Washermenpet, added, “Single-use plastic covers have made Flower Market Road slippery and unsafe for pedestrians. The Corporation has not responded quickly.”

In Mint Street, Sowcarpet, a busy commercial stretch, residents say waste was cleared only after three days. “Workers looked new and inexperienced. I made three complaints to GCC’s complaint number 1913. Dogs keep scattering the waste. I couldn’t even eat lunch at my shop,” lamented Rajesh, a resident of Evening Bazar Road.

A ward 59 official said the number of workers in the division has dropped from 107 to nearly half. “There’s no night shift now. After 8 am, collection becomes difficult, especially on streets like Nyniappa Naicken and Devarajan Mudali Street,” the official noted.

The Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone is facing similar problems. Bins are overflowing in areas such as Perambur Barracks Road, Samipillai Street in Choolai, Tana Street, Vaadamalli Street and Edward Park Street in Purasawalkam, and Strahans Road in Pattalam.

Strahans Road is strewn with garbage, with animal and meat waste dumped near the entrance of Goodpat Pallam 2nd Street. “I’ve filed multiple complaints over the past four days, but no cleaning staff have turned up. People continue to dump waste, and the situation could worsen,” said N Chandrasekar, a resident of Dashamakan.

Mayor R Priya appealed to the protesting workers to return to work, promising job security and benefits. “They will receive salaries of Rs 17,000 to Rs 18,000 with PF and ESI. A decision on regularisation will follow,” she said.

The mayor also claimed that garbage clearance had resumed in Zones 5 and 6, where the private contractor had begun operations. “Door-to-door waste collection is underway,” she added.

However, protesting workers rejected her appeal. “We’ll not join the private contractor as it will affect our legal claim for the regularisation of jobs. We’ll continue the protest until we’re offered permanent jobs,” declared G Vasanthi, one of the protesting workers who was also on a hunger strike for 4 days last week.