Ooty, once called the queen of hills, has been falling prey to civic negligence as all garbage bins are usually overflowing with trash. The garbage attracts monkeys who litter in neighbouring areas, making the entire town dirty.
It has been over two weeks since Ooty municipality last cleared the garbage bins in the town.
"It has been more than two weeks since the garbage bin in our area was last cleared by the municipality. It is turing into a health hazard but the corporation is turning a blind eye to it," said L Kannan, a resident of St Mary's Hill in Ooty.
The dumped garbage attracts monkeys from the nearby forests. "They keep frequenting residential areas and litter the trash everywhere. They are growing familiar to the area and will soon turn into a menace," added Kannan.
According to the municipal records, during normal days the daily collection of garbage in the hill town amounts to around 38 tonnes. But during summer, due to heavy inflow of tourists, the collection of trash would more than double, especially during weekends.
"We are not being able to dispose the daily collection of trash in our hotel. The municipality should have prepared well ahead in advance for the summer season. But the present situation shows the lethargic attitude of the officials concerned," said an hotelier, pleading anonymity.
According to Shobana Chandrasekar, founder of 'Make Ooty Beautiful (MOB), a voluntary organisation involving in cleaning up the town, as per urban municipal solid waste rules, the municipality should organise door-to-door collection of garbage on a regular basis on pre-informed timings.
"The municipality should, at least now, realise its responsibility," Shobana said.
A Sardhar, Ooty municipal commissioner told TOI, "The municipality has five vehicles to collect the garbage bins. But as of now, all have gone for their fitness checks at the regional transport office." He further said, "While two vehicles will be pressed into service in another two days to clear off the bins, other vehicles will also be ready for service in another few days."
"It is really shame on the Ooty municipality, one of the oldest in the state, to come with such lame excuses when it comes to its main responsibility", lamented a senior resident of Ooty.
It has been over two weeks since Ooty municipality last cleared the garbage bins in the town.
"It has been more than two weeks since the garbage bin in our area was last cleared by the municipality. It is turing into a health hazard but the corporation is turning a blind eye to it," said L Kannan, a resident of St Mary's Hill in Ooty.
The dumped garbage attracts monkeys from the nearby forests. "They keep frequenting residential areas and litter the trash everywhere. They are growing familiar to the area and will soon turn into a menace," added Kannan.
According to the municipal records, during normal days the daily collection of garbage in the hill town amounts to around 38 tonnes. But during summer, due to heavy inflow of tourists, the collection of trash would more than double, especially during weekends.
"We are not being able to dispose the daily collection of trash in our hotel. The municipality should have prepared well ahead in advance for the summer season. But the present situation shows the lethargic attitude of the officials concerned," said an hotelier, pleading anonymity.
According to Shobana Chandrasekar, founder of 'Make Ooty Beautiful (MOB), a voluntary organisation involving in cleaning up the town, as per urban municipal solid waste rules, the municipality should organise door-to-door collection of garbage on a regular basis on pre-informed timings.
"The municipality should, at least now, realise its responsibility," Shobana said.
A Sardhar, Ooty municipal commissioner told TOI, "The municipality has five vehicles to collect the garbage bins. But as of now, all have gone for their fitness checks at the regional transport office." He further said, "While two vehicles will be pressed into service in another two days to clear off the bins, other vehicles will also be ready for service in another few days."
"It is really shame on the Ooty municipality, one of the oldest in the state, to come with such lame excuses when it comes to its main responsibility", lamented a senior resident of Ooty.