“Swachh” Vizag? This open drain will make you think twice

Spotless roads, masked gutters, uncluttered open spaces, and the much-talked-about hygiene have been the prized possessions of the Beach Road and a few of its nearby localities in Vizag. However, as the local residents would know, many of the areas in the city continue to be plagued by unhygienic and filthy scenes; scenes which can mercilessly mar the city’s boastful image of “swachhta”. Talking about filthy scenes, what worse than that of a large open drain right at the heart of a busy area in the city?

A busy area connecting the National Highway to RTC Complex, Seethammapeta forms a regular transit for many commuters in Vizag. However, a ride through this area has been a stomach-churning one of late and we have the sickening scene of an open drain here to blame.

Clogged with plastic, rotten by waste and bred by flies, mosquitoes, pigs, and other disease carriers, the drain has been causing severe inconvenience to the inhabitants of the area. Left unattended for quite some time now, the drain poses a serious threat of spreading infections. And given the number of residences, food stalls, colleges and other crowded places in the area, the worry only seems to rise among the denizens. Furthermore, locals state that they have even noticed a few thoughtless individuals urinating over the open drain, worsening the already unpleasant scene.

“I travel through Seethammapeta frequently. The drain’s bad state has been causing a foul smell in the vicinity and has now turned into a nuisance that can’t be avoided,” shares Venkat, a citizen of Vizag, who, like many others, hopes the authorities swing into action at the earliest to take control of the hostile situation.

It may be noted that it wasn’t too long ago that the Swachh Bharat teams had visited Vizag to survey the city. GVMC and other bodies had apparently taken steps to maintain hygiene across the city as they left no stone unturned in their effort to bag a better spot in this year’s rankings. One only wonders what might have caused the officials to miss noticing the mess at Seethammapeta.

Have you noticed a similar situation in your vicinity? Do share in the comments section below.