The Hindu 10.07.2009
Wanted: land to dispose waste
Staff Reporter
| Heaps of half-burnt garbage may have catastrophic effect on the environment |
Most of the 12 municipalities in the district facing the problem
In Tenali, the small area of 6.7 acres is hardly enough to dump waste
GUNTUR: A drive down the GBC Road towards Chirala through Bapatla will not pass without the revolting sight of heaps of garbage lying on the road side in front of the electrical sub station. The low lying area in front of a Christian burial ground is being used as a waste dumping yard by the municipality, causing heart burn to many living in the area, which has a missionary hospital and a junior college close by.
The problem at Bapatla is symptomatic of the problems being faced by most of the 12 municipalities in the district grappling with the problem of unavailability of a suitable garbage yard, leave alone the scientific disposal of waste. Heaps of half-burnt garbage could have catastrophic effect on the environment and could impair the health of the people.
At a meeting held in Guntur, the municipal commissioners of all the 12 municipalities explained the initiatives taken by them to acquire land for garbage disposal.
Guntur Municipal Corporation was fortunate as the district revenue authorities handed over about 76 acres at the foot hills of Kondaveedu fort enabling the corporation to transport nearly 350 metric tonnes of waste generated per day. Municipal Health Officer P. Rama Rao said on Thursday that the GMC would soon have a scientific land fill at the yard in Kondaveedu, which is the most efficient way of disposing and recycling of domestic waste.
But other municipalities, including Tenali, Bapatla and Ponnur are still struggling to acquire suitable lands. Municipal Commissioner of Bapatla, Niranjan Reddy said that they have zeroed on in a site of 5. 4 acres in Mulapalem. The BMC is also looking at two sites of 15 acres of each, one on the GBC Road and another on the Pedanandipadu Road.
In Tenali, the small area of 6.7 acres is hardly enough to dump 95 metric tonnes of waste and the municipal authorities had scouted for a 25 acre plot near Kolakaluru, while in Poonur the municipal authorities were keen to acquire two additional acres at Nidubrolu.
“The Central Government has allocated a huge chunk of funds for the scientific disposal of garbage and there is no dearth of funds. We hope that the Municipalities in coordination with the Revenue department will finalise the sites soon,” said Regional director of Municipal Administration D. Karuna Chandra Babu.