The roadsides in the district are fast becoming a dump yard for polythene and plastic waste.

Commercial establishments and a few local administrations are dumping huge amount of water bottles, polythene bags thinner than 40 microns, tea cups and water sachets on the roadsides, causing irreversible damage to the environment.

“Heaps of non-biodegradable waste are finding their way to the roadsides as the authorities here are yet to establish a proper waste disposal mechanism. A majority of the local bodies, including the Erode Corporation, have not even implemented the solid waste management programme fully. The local administrations also failed to monitor or initiate any action against the commercial establishments that dump the non-biodegradable waste on the roadsides,” consumer rights activist R. Balasubramanian says.

Tea stalls, bakeries, restaurants and hotels are the major plastic waste generators. Some of these establishments regularly dump the waste on the roadsides, points out S. Parthiban, a resident of Gobichettipalayam.

Shopkeepers, however, claim that they are left with no option but to dump the waste on the roadsides as the local administrations have failed to ensure a daily collection at the doorsteps.

“The local administration has also failed to place adequate number of collection bins. The sanitary workers turn up once in four days to collect waste. As a result, we are forced to dispose the used tea cups and other waste on the roadsides or vacant places,” says the owner of a tea stall in Erode town on condition of anonymity.

Though people have taken this issue to the notice of the officials in the local administrations, no fruitful efforts have been made to sort out the problem. Only last month, the Erode Corporation came up with the proposal to collect charges from the bulk generators of garbage. But the proposal is yet to be implemented.

Other local bodies are yet to initiate any steps to prevent the dumping of plastic waste on the roadsides and ensure its proper disposal.

The civic administrations should launch a drive and initiate stern action against those using or dumping polythene bags, plastic tea cups and water bottles on the roadsides. “The authorities should also ban the manufacturing and sale of plastic tea cups,” Mr. Balasubramanian said.