Stop dumping of garbage at Singh Nagar, demands CPM

Vijayawada (NTR District): Communist Party of India (Marxist) activists staged a protest before the dumping yard at Singh Nagar here on Friday, demanding the authorities not to dump garbage here, which is detrimental to the health of people living in that area.

Police arrested CPM leader Ch Babu Rao and ten activists and shifted them to Bhavanipuram police station.

Addressing the media, Babu Rao said the municipal corporation has been dumping several lakhs of tonnes of garbage at the dumping yard situated amidst the residences at Singh Nagar and Payakapuram. The dumped garbage caught fire 50 times during the last five months causing much inconvenience to the people of the area. "People suspect that the municipal corporation staff is intentionally burning the garbage," he said.

Though the garbage is being dumped amid residential colonies, the YSR Congress leaders and people's representatives are remaining silent without taking any action, he alleged.

Babu Rao took strong exception to the arrest of the activists instead of taking action against the persons responsible for dumping garbage and causing ill-health to people. The government has been collecting garbage tax from citizens and at the same time dumping garbage causing inconvenience to people, he added.

The CPM leader demanded immediate shifting of dumping yard, which is euphemistically called garbage transfer station. He warned that they would intensify agitation till the transfer station was shifted from Singh Nagar.

The arrested include B Ramana Rao, Ch Srinivas, Jhansi, Johny, Nizamuddin, Vijaya, Devi, Kanakadurga, Appanna, Nagarjuna and others.