South bank of Vaigai is full of garbage

MADURAI Along the Pechiamman Padithurai, on the south bank of river Vaigai, one is unwelcomed by a s

Along the Pechiamman Padithurai, on the south bank of river Vaigai, one is unwelcomed by a sea of dumped garbage that emanates an unbearable stench and poses hazards to the residents.

The garbage dump seems like a sparkly mosaic of all-things-plastic, kitchen waste, abandoned clothes, worn-out pillows you name it, the dump offers.

The issue stops not there, as cattle, especially sheep, are forced to feast on the little grazing land available where the cattle is more prone to eat the discarded plastic.

The dump seems like it has been accumulating for months together, but neither the Public Works Department nor the Madurai Corporation has taken any step to stop dumping or removing the trash until now.

The south bank road has been widened and the dhobi khana has been removed, forcing the dhobis to work along the river bank.

In contrast, just next to the dump, clean white bedspreads and pillow covers of a local hotel sway in the air as they wash piles of dirty clothes in the small pond-like stagnant water along the river.

All the pollution infused into the river turns into sewage and mixes with the river that hardly flows like a stream at most parts of the year.