Stink near temple spoils sanctity

Hyderabad: The Yellamma temple in Balkampet, which is frequented by devotees, is surrounded by garbage. Just 200 metres from the temple, one can find heaps of garbage and mosquitoes and flies swarming around the waste. As usual, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is not collecting the garbage.

A local shop owner Krishna Murthy said, “Thousands visit the temple and one can see children and women pass by covering their faces with kerchief. It is becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes.” With dengue cases rising with each passing day, a catastrophe is round the corner, say locals.

Taking into notice of The Hans India report, a local resident of Balkampet Deepak said, “I saw the report on August 2 in The Hans India. However, GHMC has failed to take any action so far.” When contacted N Venkat Ramana, Assistant Medical officer of 10A Circle in GHMC, the official assured that garbage would be lifted from the site on Sunday for sure.”

Locals, however, said removing garbage consistently was something that was needed. Stray dogs too pose danger to residents and they have become a source of obstruction for traffic activity between Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar and Lingaiah Nagar.

Madhava Rao, a retired postal department employee and resident of Balkampet questioned, “Will the GHMC wake up only when an epidemic strikes? There are so many colonies in the area and most of them do not have open spaces, this makes it even more difficult for garbage disposal. The Corporation just does not have a plan of action to remove garbage on a day-to-day basis,” he added.