Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Garbage bins vanish

J.S. Ifthekhar

Metallic bins to replace them

Hyderabad: Red Hills is a relatively dapper area from sanitation point of view. But at the road corner near Dr. Azam's Hospital one can see litter strewn all around.

No, this spot was not litter free earlier. A dustbin managed to contain it till recently. Now it is not there anymore.

In the dusty lanes of the old city the situation is much worse. During the last fortnight bins have done a vanishing act from several areas adding to the unsanitary conditions.

Near the Sultan-ul-Uloom school at Jangamet in Falaknuma garbage lies along the school wall. Same is the case near Sri Sai Vidya Niketan school nearby.

No alternative

"There used to be bins here but the MCH has removed them. We have no alternative but to dump the refuse on the road," says Asif, a resident.

The narrow lanes of Shivlal Nagar near Puranapul are dotted with garbage.

There has never been a bin here. It is not just the old city but elsewhere too bins are disappearing with the MCH planning to ease out all cement bins, open points and garbage houses.

In keeping with the principles of solid waste management, the Corporation wants to retain only close metallic bins.

By December end all the 4,500 bins in the twin cities will give place to metallic ones. At present the city has 1,431 metallic bins and needs another 838.

So far 1,197 cement bins and open points have been removed in different circles. But in many places they are removed without making the alternative arrangement resulting in garbage being dumped on the road.

"We will be creating a network of tricycles to collect the refuse from house to house", said R. Rama Mohan Rao, additional commissioner, Health and Sanitation, MCH.

However, the procurement of rickshaws has hit a road block as there are not many manufacturers.

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