Top prize for managing solid waste, but look at pictures below
Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:44
administrator
The Times of India 23.05.2018
Top prize for managing solid waste, but look at pictures below
HYDERABAD:
The City of Pearls recently received the Swachh Survekshan award for
being India’s best capital city for solid waste management, but the
reality is out for all to see. Hyderabad generates 4,500 metric tonnes
of garbage every day, and much of it is just lying around on the
streets, accumulating under flyovers and choking nalas.
Even as the award was welcomed with pride, city residents say heaps
of garbage are a common sight across the city, from Secunderabad to
Shamshabad, First Lancer area in Banjara Hills and Nanal Nagar in Mehdipatnam. Apart from the foul smell, residents are constantly plagued by pollution and the threat of infections.
Over time, garbage has also taken over
open spaces, with a playground in Trimulgherry turning into a dumpyard.
“Kids used to learn karate here. But now it’s filled with garbage,”
said Joseph Phillips, a resident of Secunderabad.
Litter dumps are a prominent sight in
First Lancer and residents rue that even though sanitation workers from
the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)
clear garbage bins regularly, nothing is done about the waste that has
accumulated over time in street corners and open spaces. “Garbage lying
around dustbins is not just an eyesore, but also spreads infections,”
says Abdul Mukhtar, a tailor.
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Garbage burning is also rampant in
areas such as Hydershahkote and Sun City. “It’s like getting killed by
own own toxicity. Garbage is usually thrown in plastic bags, which
doesn’t allow it to decompose and chokes animals,” says Medha N, an
environmentalist.
Authorities, however, claim to be
doing their part. Dr Qadri, chief medical officer of health, GHMC, says,
“We send trucks and autos regularly to collect garbage. We have also
employed 2,654 units of cleaners, with seven members in each unit. Blue
and green segregation dustbins have also been distributed. All the
garbage is sent to Jawaharnagar. If we see anyone littering, we penalise them ₹500-1,000 depending on the litter.”
3 weeks before rains, 50,000 trees posing danger yet to be trimmed
Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:27
administrator
The Times of India 23.05.2018
3 weeks before rains, 50,000 trees posing danger yet to be trimmed
Trees identified as posing threats of fall of branches during heavy wind or rain.
MUMBAI:
The south-west monsoon is expected to hit the city in another three
weeks, but the BMC is yet to trim nearly 50,000 of the 93,353 trees
identified as posing threats of fall of branches during heavy wind or
rain.
Similarly, the civic body is also yet to remove 65 of the 534 dead
trees identified this year. Last month, a 38 year old man died after a
tree collapsed over him in Dadar’s Naigaon area.
“We aim to complete pruning of branches and removal of dead trees by May 31,” said Kishore Kshirsagar, deputy municipal commissioner in charge of garden department.
But citizens are skeptical. King Circle resident Nikhil Desai
said he had given BMC officials a list of trees in dangerous condition
that needed immediate trimming. “However its unlikely that the BMC will
be able to complete all the trimming by May 31,” said Desai.
Besides, there are questions why there’s nearly 45% increase in the
number of trees identified for trimming, compared to last year (64,454).
Kshirsagar attributed it to a careful scrutiny of trees this year.
“The BMC horticulture assistant, junior tree officers as well as
assistant superintendent of gardens have been asked to go on rounds to
ensure that in case they see any tree leaning or infested, then action
plan should be prepared to ensure that such trees are either pruned or
removed,” he said.
Activists and citizens say the “chopping spree” may make the trees unstable without proper support.
“Excessive pruning will be harmful to trees,” Khar
resident Zoru Bathena said, adding that following the recent death of a
Dadar resident in a tree crash, the BMC is pruning more trees.
Environmentalist Rishi Agarwal
said he recently saw a BMC van take away the branches that were cut
from a tree. “These were thin branches and did not require any trimming
Even if these small branches fell they were unlikely to cause any harm,” he said.
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BMC
is trimming trees that are on the roadside but the same tree extends
dangerously inside building compounds; the BMC is not trimming them and
thereby causing serious concerns for citizensRamchandra Murthy
But , Sion resident GR Vora
said trimming of trees was much needed to ensure they are balanced.
“Imbalanced trees could cause an untoward incident during rains,” said
Vora.
In some localities, citizens themselves are ensuring appropriate trimming. At Dadar Parsi Colony, a group of residents ensures that they watch over when the BMC cuts and prunes trees in their are.
Extra waste generation during Ramzan a challenge to GHMC
Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:15
administrator
The Hindu 23.05.2018
Extra waste generation during Ramzan a challenge to GHMC
With monsoon expected to arrive in the first fortnight of June, the
additional plastic waste generated during Ramzan could present a problem
to storm water de-silting process.
Officials of the Greater
Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) said a spike in generation of
waste is witnessed primarily on two occasions: during Ganesh Chaturthi
and Ramzan. And with restaurants and eateries doing brisk business in
the holy month, the city sees an additional waste generation of up to
approximately 300 metric tonnes per day.
“The spoons and bowls,
particularly used by haleem outlets, are made of plastic. Then there are
those who use use polythene bags to carry food and other items. At
times, the waste is dumped into nalas,” a GHMC official said.
Project
Director of GHMC’s Swachh Bharat Mission Soma Bharat said that the
daily generation of waste ranges roughly between 4,600 and 5,000 metric
tonnes per day. “During Ramzan, an additional 200 metric tonnes to 300
tonnes is generated per day. Of this, around 20% is plastic waste,” he
said.
Officials said to tackle disposal of waste, GHMC had a
meeting with owners of restaurants and eateries. A circular has been
sent to officials instructing them to complete de-silting by May 16 and
ensure garbage lifting around masjids on a daily basis.
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TRS turned Hyd. into a PPP city. Politics, Poverty and Pollution.Srini A