Citizens need to do their bit for a garbage-free city

Pic/Satej Shinde

Versova residents have been complaining about garbage piles in the area for the past many years, but the issue has not been resolved yet. Residents have registered several complaints, but they claim that the garbage is cleaned the next day and then piles up again.

A resident has stated in a report in this paper that the area is huge, so the garbage vehicle gets full after picking trash from just two-three localities. The civic ward has only two or three vehicles for entire Versova. So, it takes a long time for those vehicles to come back from dump yards for further collection, locals have stated.

Piles of garbage can be seen on several roads across Versova, including on Old Fisheries Road, Fisheries University Road and Panch Marg.

The area needs more garbage pick up vans, a task which is out of the purview of the ward officer who does not respond to complaints. However, it is evident that the clearing up is bandaid and does not get to the root of the problem which is a shortage of vehicles. These decisions need the higher-ups in the BMC who have to look long-term and permanent.

One must note, too, that this is monsoon season. Wet garbage means slippery pavements, roads, nooks and crannies. There is also a heightened risk of disease like dengue, malaria, leptospirosis with the garbage. If COVID has taught us one thing, it was an absolute emphasis on hygiene both at home and in the public sphere. This needs to be remembered at all times, not gone with the monsoon wind now that the pandemic is over.

The bigger decisions and action needs to be expedited because it is apparent that the public is suffering very deeply.

Meanwhile, the people must do their bit at least trying to keep their surroundings as clean as possible. Let us see a sweeping (pun intended) solution to this festering crisis.