Coimbatore: Irked at not being paid extra money to remove waste, corporation sanitary workers set afire accumulated garbage in front of a house near Bharathi Park here on Wednesday morning, alleged residents. They said this was not a stray case and many corporation sanitary workers had done the same in the past.
TOI earlier this month reported that the fire and rescue department had recorded a higher number of roadside fires in February this year, compared to the previous year. The department has received 143 fire calls so far this year, compared to 50 during the same period last year.
According to one of the residents, Swathi, the house owners had accumulated garden waste outside their house and asked sanitary workers to remove it. "It is usually removed once a week and the workers come in a lorry and collect it," she said. As the waste had been lying there for over one week, the residents had approached sanitary workers and asked them to remove it. But they asked for extra money. "We refused to pay them as it was their job to collect garbage and they were paid for it from the corporation," said Swathi.
On Wednesday morning, sanitary workers came in a lorry and set the garbage collected near her house on fire and fled the spot.
"We doused the fire using hose pipes, but we were really scared as the transformer was located very close. Moreover, a portion of our garden was also burnt and a shop's name board located outside was also damaged in the fire,"Swathi said.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, alleged that they have seen the lorry driver throw something into the garbage dump.
On hearing the news, ward councillor Annamal reached the spot . "Generally, these lorries come only after 10.30am. We doubt if it was the sanitary workers who set it on fire as we have warned them against doing such things," she said.
In her area, Annamal said, she had ensured that residents did not pay any extra to sanitary workers. "When one or two residents offer them money to remove garbage, it becomes a habit and they ask the money from every one. So I have asked the residents in my ward not to pay any extra amount to sanitary workers," she said.
A similar roadside garbage fire was reported four months ago in Bharathi Park area and at Venkatapuram. When contacted, corporation officials said they had warned people against dumping garbage on the roadside.
TOI earlier this month reported that the fire and rescue department had recorded a higher number of roadside fires in February this year, compared to the previous year. The department has received 143 fire calls so far this year, compared to 50 during the same period last year.
According to one of the residents, Swathi, the house owners had accumulated garden waste outside their house and asked sanitary workers to remove it. "It is usually removed once a week and the workers come in a lorry and collect it," she said. As the waste had been lying there for over one week, the residents had approached sanitary workers and asked them to remove it. But they asked for extra money. "We refused to pay them as it was their job to collect garbage and they were paid for it from the corporation," said Swathi.
On Wednesday morning, sanitary workers came in a lorry and set the garbage collected near her house on fire and fled the spot.
"We doused the fire using hose pipes, but we were really scared as the transformer was located very close. Moreover, a portion of our garden was also burnt and a shop's name board located outside was also damaged in the fire,"Swathi said.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, alleged that they have seen the lorry driver throw something into the garbage dump.
On hearing the news, ward councillor Annamal reached the spot . "Generally, these lorries come only after 10.30am. We doubt if it was the sanitary workers who set it on fire as we have warned them against doing such things," she said.
In her area, Annamal said, she had ensured that residents did not pay any extra to sanitary workers. "When one or two residents offer them money to remove garbage, it becomes a habit and they ask the money from every one. So I have asked the residents in my ward not to pay any extra amount to sanitary workers," she said.
A similar roadside garbage fire was reported four months ago in Bharathi Park area and at Venkatapuram. When contacted, corporation officials said they had warned people against dumping garbage on the roadside.