Gandhal township under Ooty Corporation limits presents a picture of messy chaos all round. The reason is uncleared garbage, thanks to the heavy rains, and the stench that has risen out of it.

The town has nearly 40,000 residents. The Ooty Corporation has established a garbage recycling plant near the town’s common square on the highway. This plant’s second unit is in Indira Colony and third unit is at Guruchedi Colony. Ooty’s garbage is dumped at Theetukal. The Forest Department has barred Corporation sanitary workers from dumping garbage there. So all this garbage is dumped at Gandhal.

Earlier these garbage consignments were segregated and sent to be recycled. However two weeks ago, due to heavy rains in Ooty that cut off power production and disrupted normal routine, waste segregation had been suspended.

However, non-segregated garbage continued to be dumped everyday, thereby polluting the area. During the day, the hot sun increases the stench. Residents complained that they could not even walk in the streets due to the permeating smell. The stech is so bad that it has spread to Gandhal highway, Guruchedi Colony, Indira Colony and Kasturi Bai colony inconveniencing residents there also. Many claimed that despite frequent petitions to the Corporation the matter has not been resolved.

D Ravi, a Corporation engineer said, “The overflowing garbage in Gandhal’s three units will be transported to another area immediately. This will ease the trouble caused to residents. We promise them that the clearing will be done in a phased manner, until the remaining garbage becomes manageable.”