THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Walking through the by-lane beside the Women’s College leading to the University Women’s Hostel, a handkerchief is an absolutely necessary aid to breathe. Without covering the nose with a hand kerchief, a nausea is guaranteed. For every day, garbage bags, those large black ones keep popping up in front of the hostel in groups of three and four.
The inmates, already fatigued by dealing with the exhibitionists on the road, say that most of these black bags contain chicken waste as feathers can be seen on the road. But the half-a-dozen black garbage bags that was dumped right in front of the hostel, seemed to have its origin at a late-night party. There were straws in myriad shades, paper plates and even tissues, but the stink would beat even a skunk.
“When we complain about it, someone just sets fire to the dumped waste and the pungent smell of burning plastic causes respiratory problems to the inmates. Those who are already asthmatic get violent attacks with the smell,” said Ashwathy Gopinath, a PG student at the Sanskrit College, who is also the hostel secretary.
The hostel authorities have been complaining about this to the authorities but without any result. Even the waste collecting system put in place by the local counsellor collects waste only from households. They do not collect what is dumped on the road and the inmates continue to suffer.
“If the Corporation had agreed to install a camera here, a pending demand of the inmates, we could actually find the culprits and take action. Installing a camera would also help contain the menace of exhibitionism on these roads,” said Sheela Soman, warden of the hostel.
What is dumped, apart from the kitchen waste and the chicken waste, is pretty interesting. One huge bag had clothes in it, while another had coconut shells. Medicine foils, used footwear, Bacardi bottles, milk covers and plastic bottles all suggested that it came from houses and not any commercial establishments. Interestingly, just opposite one particular garbage heap was dumped a collection of pictures of Gods and Godesses framed in glass and wood.
Maybe because they were pretty nice pictures or maybe some devotees felt guilty about leaving the gods on the road, that bit of waste disappeared in a matter of hours. All that is left is just a couple of frames and glass pieces.
The inmates of the University Women’s Hostel, the most affected by the nauseating smell from the road, is all set to petition the Health Minister and the Corporation for an immediate solution to the long-standing problem.
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