STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Even as the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) continues its sustained cleanliness and sanitation drive across the city, several residents from Hatigaon and Beltola have expressed dissatisfaction over unattended garbage dumps and poor waste management in interior localities.
With ongoing efforts on the ground ranging from waste clearance and drain cleaning to maintenance of roadsides and public spaces, GMC frontline workers have been working regularly to improve cleanliness standards and build a healthier, urban-resilient Guwahati ahead of the monsoon season.
Sanitation workers engaged in the drive said the workload has increased significantly in recent months due to growing waste generation and repeated garbage disposal in open areas. "We clean drains and roads almost every day, especially before rainfall. But many areas become dirty again within hours because people continue to throw waste carelessly,” said a GMC sanitation worker deployed in the Beltola area.
Another frontline worker involved in roadside cleaning said field staffers often face criticism despite working under difficult conditions. “Our teams are trying continuously. Sometimes drains are cleaned multiple times in a month. Public awareness is equally necessary,” the worker added.
While some residents acknowledged that visible cleaning activities have increased on main roads and commercial stretches, many people living in residential pockets alleged that several problem areas continue to remain neglected.
Terming their areas as 'garbage hotspots,' the residents of Hatigaon and Beltola voiced strong concern over poor garbage disposal management in their localities. According to locals, a garbage dumping spot near Bylane 2, Ajanta Path, has turned into one of the worst affected areas, with waste remaining uncleared for long periods.
"The situation near Bylane 2 of Ajanta Path is extremely unhygienic. Garbage keeps piling up, and there has been no proper action despite repeated complaints,” alleged a resident of Hatigaon.
Another local resident from Beltola said foul smells, stray animals, and mosquito breeding have become a major issue around the dumping site.
“Main roads may be cleaned regularly, but interior residential lanes are still suffering. During rainfall, the condition becomes worse and the garbage spreads onto the road,” the resident said.
Some citizens also questioned the lack of monitoring in residential areas despite the civic body’s ongoing cleanliness campaign.
“There are hardworking GMC workers on the ground, but there appears to be a gap in supervision and waste management planning in certain areas,” said a local shopkeeper from Beltola Market.
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