Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) personnel are not picking up tree branches and leaves lying along roads and on pavements for days or even weeks, residents of multiple neighbourhoods said.
The Telegraph came across at least three such spots where tree branches have not been picked up for weeks.
In one of the spots, between the Rashbehari crossing and Lake Market, tree branches have been lying for over two weeks. Residents and other people have started throwing plastic bags filled with waste over it.
Waste has also been lying for several days at two spots on Dover Road. At one of the spots, piles of fallen leaves have blocked a footpath, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road.
“I have seen waste on Dover Road lying like that for several days,” said Somini Sen Dua, a resident of the neighbouring Ballygunge Circular Road.
This newspaper also saw construction waste such as broken tiles and sacks filled with demolition waste lying on a pavement along Ritchie Road.
“Waste turns into mosquito breeding grounds if it is not removed for days. Sporadic spells of rain can create pockets of water in the waste where mosquitoes can lay eggs,” said a resident of Ballygunge.
“I have seen waste lying on Dover Road for several days. There are stretches on Ballygunge Circular Road, too, where waste is not picked up for days,” said a resident of Ballygunge Circular Road.
KMC personnel who collect daily household waste said they do not pick up construction waste and tree branches because they cannot be treated by compactor machines, which are used to compress and reduce the volume of kitchen waste.
“There are separate teams to pick up construction waste and tree branches,” said one such waste collector.
Asked why construction waste and branches are not removed in time, a KMC official said: “Residents are supposed to inform us if they are trimming trees in their gardens. But that rarely happens. Most people dump branches on roads.
“Our website has contact details of officials of the solid waste management department in charge of boroughs. Residents should call up and inform the official in charge of their borough about the waste.”
Lack of coordination between two departments of the civic body is also responsible for tree branches lying on the road for weeks. “The parks and squares department trims tree branches and they are supposed to inform the solid waste management department for their removal. Owing to lack of coordination, the removal gets delayed sometimes,” said a KMC official.