Ooty Drowning in Garbage Amidst Staff Woes

Udhagamandalam, commonly known as Ooty, is currently grappling with a significant garbage crisis, characterized by pervasive open dumping and inadequate waste collection over the past few weeks. Activists attribute this escalating problem to several factors, including unmotivated sanitation staff whose salaries were delayed for December, insufficient staff numbers, and a lack of cooperation from the public who routinely discard waste in public spaces.

Several areas within the town, such as Fern Hill, Gorishala, Elk Hill, Manjanakorai, and Golf Links Road, along with parts of the reserve forest, have transformed into open dumping grounds. Waste from households and resorts, reluctant to pay for removal services, is being illegally disposed of here. This alarming situation extends to roads like the one leading to the former Deer Park, which is also accumulating household and construction debris.

Sanitation workers report being understaffed and facing challenges in convincing residents to segregate waste during door-to-door collections. Many refuse to hand over garbage, opting instead to dump it in open areas. The situation is exacerbated by the delayed payment of December salaries, leading to decreased motivation and increased absenteeism among staff. While the municipality has since credited the salaries, the underlying issues of public cooperation and adequate staffing persist.