Piles of trash another worry for civic body

PATNA: With monsoon knocking on the doors, scattered garbage on roads in several localities of the city, such as Gardanibagh and Mithapur, have become a major cause of concern for Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC). Apart from choking roads, heaps of garbage may also pose health threat to people once the monsoon hits the city.
A PMC official said sanitation workers have been asked to work on a war footing to remove garbage, especially from vegetable markets.
However, the vegetable market at Mithapur, which records footfall of thousands of people per day, tells a different story as removal of garbage is still a far cry at the market. “People avoid visiting the market during monsoon as foul smell emanates from piles of garbage,” said Rahul Kumar, a fruit vendor.
“Garbage has choked the drain in front of my shop. I have constructed a new drain in front of my shop at my own expense to ensure discharge of waste and rainwater,” said Raj Kishore Gupta, a sweet and snacks shop owner near GPO roundabout.
Anand Kumar, who owns a shop near Buddha Smriti Park in front of Patna Junction, said, “No one seems to care about this problem. The garbage generates foul smell here. People urinate on the garbage heap, thereby intensifying the foul smell.”
Binni Kumari, a resident of Station Road, said, “I cannot walk in the Buddha Smriti parking lot area without putting handkerchief on my nose.”
The Rajiv Nagar locality is also suffering from garbage menace. “Road number 1 at Rajiv Nagar is dotted with garbage. It gives foul smell and one cannot pass without wearing nose mask. Onset of monsoon is expected in a few days and the garbage heap may become breeding ground for diseases,” said Rashi Mallick, a resident of Rajiv Nagar.
People residing in Kadamkuan, Phulwarisharif, Mahatma Gandhi Nagar and Kusumpuram Colony are also facing the same problem. Those living in the low lying areas of the city are the worst sufferers.