Fund shortage stops garbage removel work

Erode: Because of heavy funds crunch, the Kuruppanaickkenpalayam panchayat is not able to clean the accumulated garbage for the past six months.Kuruppanaickkenpalayam panchayat in Bhavani taluk is located on the Bhavani-Mettur main road.A large quantity of garbage remains piled up in various stages of decay all along a good portion of the road margin, and has not been removed, though it poses a health hazard.

"Immediately after being elected panchayat president, I have cleaned the accumulated garbage in the panchayat out of my own funds and I could not clean the same again as there is no fund in the panchayat and also with me," the president of the panchayat, Ms. Eswari Kumarasamy, told on Tuesday.She admitted that as on date, more than 50 lorry loads of garbage had accumulated in the area.The panchayat wanted Bhavani Panchayat Union to sanction funds to the panchayat for purchasing a tractor to collect the garbage and dispose of it.But the panchayat union had not conceded the demand.

Ms Eswari said, "A few days ago, I arranged some local sponsors for the clearing of garbage and about ten loads of garbage were cleared."She said that since the panchayat was located on the margin of Bhavani Municipality, sometimes the health staff of the municipality were collecting garbage from their area and dumping it in the panchayat.She said the panchayat was suffering for lack of funds.So they had approached Rajya Sabha MP P.G. Narayanan who granted Rs. 40 lakh for development works in the panchayat.

The Union Minister of State for Textiles E.V.K.S. Elangovan granted Rs. 10 lakh to Kuruppanaickkenpalayam panchayat for the construction of a community hall.With such funds, they were maintaining the panchayat.The residents living in the area said because of large-scale accumulation of garbage that had not been cleared away for as long a period as six months.As a result of this lack of activity in the interests of hygiene, most of the people were affected with diseases and they were experiencing unbearable fly menace.