GUWAHATI: There have been complaints from citizens of Guwahati that garbage collection is not regular and in some places the collectors have been charging money on a monthly basis.
The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has engaged non-government organisations (NGOs) to collect garbage from the 31 city wards but the complaints continue to pour in.
G Plus recently did a poll where we asked citizens whether the garbage collection from their doorsteps was regular. Only 31% of the 600 respondents had garbage collected daily from their homes. Rest 69% stated that it was once in two days and this 69% also has a mix of respondents whose garbage collection was on the whims and fancies of the collecting agent.
Majority of the respondents were unhappy with the GMC’s garbage collection agents. The main problem cited by them was irregularity of the service.
There are many areas where the collectors never visit and the people have to carry their garbage to the nearest disposal site. Others have had a weekly pick-up which led to a pile up, much to the discomfort of the residents.
The luckier 31% have their garbage collected regularly and they are happy with the service. They said that the garbage collection can be made better with proper segregation of the wastes. Awareness building exercise by the GMC has to be done on a regular basis and the awareness campaign has to be launched across the city, believe respondents.
Responding to the G Plus Poll residents from Ward No 29-2 wrote that they were dissatisfied with the garbage collection as it is done just once a week. Another respondent from Sister Nivedita Path, Bhaskar Nagar, sent an image showing the filthy state of a garbage collection unit and blamed the GMC for utter neglect.
A few respondents complained that they have tried to make the GMC aware of the issue but it has fallen on deaf ears of the officials. They are tired of the lackadaisical attitude of the civic body.
Respondents overall felt that there is a lack of planning and monitoring when it comes to garbage collection. GMC officials are, most of the time, ignorant when confronted by citizens through letters and visits. Many have demanded strict action by the GMC against irregular garbage collectors. The respondents feel that GMC is not doing enough to deal with the garbage management. Also, the garbage disposal sites in some neighbourhoods are always filled to the brim which creates inconvenience to the residents nearby and is also a health hazard, pointed out respondents.
