Sanitation crisis deepens as Hyderabad struggles to maintain its clean city image

City battles littered streets, piles of garbage, putting citizens’ health at risk

Hyderabad: A city is defined by its sanitation practices. And for its populace, life in hygienic environs is a right that cannot be denied by the city administration.

Hyderabad which used to win appreciation not just from its citizens but also garnered accolades at national and international level for its sanitation initiatives now seems to losing its sheen. The laurels of a clean city now are slowly sinking in the unsanitary conditions that have started to pervade most of the city.

Littered streets are a common sight and piles of garbage alongside the street corners are in every nook and cranny. Apart from being eyesores and impacting the perception of Hyderabad, the garbage mounds for days continue to be a health hazard for local residents.

Domestic waste, refuse from commercial establishments and construction debris, the city streets are lined up with unwanted piles of these. From stray canine to cattle to swarms of mosquitoes, the strewn waste that is not cleared by the civic administration in time is turning into breeding grounds that fuel fears of diseases.

Interestingly, sanitation has been recognised as a ‘human right’ by the UN General Assembly in the year 2010. But an apathetic city administration seems to be oblivious to this and to the concerns of the citizens.