Hyderabad:Sanitation workers deployed for Ganesh immersion duties expressed frustration while clearing garbage from roads, raising concerns over the lack of civic sense among people. They said cleaning the confetti paper scattered along the roads was particularly difficult as it sticks to the surface and requires extra effort to remove.
The workers said the use of paper‑blast machines during immersion processions has increased in recent years. While the paper is used as part of the celebrations, clearing it later becomes a difficult task, particularly when the pieces get wet. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Laxmi, a sanitation worker, said, “The condition will be worse if they get wet. Even when not wet, it takes time to clean. We are working long hours and many of us are also suffering from allergies.”
Workers said the paper remains scattered on roads for at least three days, forcing them to repeatedly sweep the same stretch. “Earlier this was not there. In recent years this culture of throwing papers has come up. We keep on cleaning it, while higher authorities ask us why roads are not clean,” they said.
Another sanitation worker, Maramma, said workers put in nearly 12 hours of duty during the immersion but receive little consideration from the public. “We work for 12 hours and, at least, people should have some sense and understand our struggle,” she said. They urged authorities to take necessary action and consider banning the use of paper‑blast machines. “We keep sweeping but with even a little wind, it gets scattered again,” a worker said.
S. Shoubhit, a student, said, “If we are celebrating then cleaning the area littered by us should be our responsibility. Yes, it’s their work, but we should show some sensibility about how we are celebrating.” All the roads leading to immersion points were littered with papers, making the surroundings look untidy. Another sanitation worker, Srinivas, said immersion duty involves three times the usual work and affects regular sanitation duties.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
