Hyderabad: C&D debris pile up on roads under GHMC's nose

Hyderabad: The construction and demolition debris and garbage on both sides of road in various areas of the Old City is not being removed by the GHMC workers; it keeps piling up. The GHMC workers come to the area regularly but do not clean debris. Though the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016 came into force to exclusively deal with the collection, transportation, storage, processing and management of C&D waste, the GHMC is not fully geared to tackle the C&D waste in parts of Old city.

Narrow roads, small by-lanes, both sides of roads are filled with C&D waste as well as garbage. Both residents and commuters both are facing difficulties due to piling of waste on roads. In several areas, including Shalibanda, Kishanbagh, Santosh Nagar, Saidabad, Bahadurpura, Fateh Darwaza, Nawab Sahab Kunta, Falaknuma, Chandrayangutta and various others the C&D waste is piled up on roads. Mohammed Ahmed, a social activist and resident of Old City said, "We have been asking the GHMC workers to remove debris and C&D waste but the only thing they say is a GHMC van will be coming to collect it, but it is never being removed."

"Though several complaints were registered on lifting of C&D waste, they didn't provide effective results. However, when contacted the concerned officer replies that there is no vehicle. The waste gets piled up on roads," he added.

The C & D waste, if thrown openly on roads can choke open drains, nalas and lakes, and cause flooding. It occupies open spaces, pollutes the environment, creates garbage points, causes traffic congestion, mars the city's look, and causes outbreak of diseases.

In the city, every day over 500-600 tonnes of C&D waste is dumped on roadsides, and in nalas, water bodies and open spaces. Across 625 sq km GHMC area, C&D is cleared in less than 250 sq km area and is transported to the Jeedimetla and Fathaullaguda decentralised C&D plants.

The GHMC officials said according to the guidelines on construction and demolition, waste of any kind should not be deposited at any time by the occupiers on roads, streets, pavements, drains, public places, water bodies or vacant sites.