Docs sound alert as garbage rots in bins

As residents of Uruli Devachi and Phursungi -- who have been demanding shifting of the PMC's only waste processing unit -- resorted to blocking movement of garbage containers through their area yesterday, doctors fear overflowing garbage may have hazardous effect on people's health.u00a0

Now, the civic body is able to collect only 450 tonnes of the 1,200 tonnes garbage generated daily by the city as most vehicles are either stranded on the roads or the processing unit.u00a0This means around 750 tonnes of garbage would not be collected from roadside waste bins, resulting in rotting and overflowing of garbage.u00a0

Dr Kalyan Gangwal told MiD DAY that the garbage contains different substances which gives rise not only to air borne diseases but can also spread fatal diseases such as leptospirosis since they attract the rats and other rodents.u00a0

"The wet garbage that will remain in the containers till the villagers protest, it will get putrefied which will serve as a suitable breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies. These insects will give rise to the allergic diseases," added Dr Gangwal.u00a0

Medical Superintendent of Sassoon Hospital Dr. DG Kulkarni echoed Gangwal's sentiments. "If water pipe line passes through these overflowing trash bins, then the chances of spreading water-borne diseases such as jaundice will increase in next few days."

Defending PMC's role over the issue, head of health department of PMC, Dr S K Pardeshi said, "The garbage bins is an ugly sight and emits odour but besides this the trash will not have any ill effect on citizens health." Pardeshi added as it's not a rainy season therefore the diseases will not spread speedily.u00a0Deputy Municipal Commissioner Suresh Jagtap said that department concern will do vermin-compost of wet garbage, while the dry waste will be sent for recycling in Hadapsar.