Garbage collection in Hyderabad takes a hit due to strike

As uncollected garbage is piling up following the strike called by Bhagyanagar Municipal GHMC Employees Union over salary hike, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has deployed collection vehicles in all the 150 wards.
Commissioner Somesh Kumar today said GHMC had written a letter to the state (Telangana) government for increasing the salaries of outsourced employees, but yet the union went ahead with its strike simce last midnight.
This brought garbage collection to halt, which was "inappropriate" in view of festivals and the rainy season, Kumar added.
He warned of taking action against the Essential Services Maintenance Act.
GHMC collects more than 3,600 metric tons of garbage every day, and the quantity goes up during the festive season, he said.

All Zonal Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners had been asked to deploy 6-tonner vehicles with four labourers each in all the 150 wards to collect the garbage, he said.