Overflowing garbage bins outside the Government Higher Secondary School at Lakkapuram in Modakurichi Panchayat Union here have raised concern among students and residents.
The school is located on Muthur Road and has a strength of over 925 students. There are many houses and commercial establishments near the school. The Lakkapuram Panchayat has placed two bins in front of the school, which are used by the residents. The bins are not cleared regularly, and overflowing garbage is a regular sight for those entering and exiting the school.
“While we were taught on sanitation inside the school, the situation outside is pathetic,” a student said on condition of anonymity. He said that many residents dumped garbage outside the bins. “They do not even walk 20 metres to dump garbage inside the bins”, said another girl student, who wanted action against people dumping on the road.
“The panchayat should clear the bins regularly and levy fine on the people who dump on the road,” said V. Poovarasu of Modakurichi. Since plastic bags constitutes most of the waste, they get blown away in wind and pose threat to two-wheeler riders, he added.
A few residents said that since door-to-door collection of garbage was not regular, they had to dump garbage in bins outside the school. While the blame game by residents and conservancy workers continued, a school teacher said on condition of anonymity that bins should be relocated and strict action taken against those dumping on the road. “Piled up garbage in front of the school portrays the school in a bad light”, he said.
L.P. Salai Manickam, president of Lakkapuram Panchayat, told The Hindu that six battery-operated garbage collection vehicles have been sanctioned for the panchayat. Awareness pamphlets were distributed to people asking them to desist from using banned plastic items. He said that one-acre land has been identified for dumping garbage collected from households and establishments and added that action would be taken against people dumping garbage on the road.