A mound of waste piles up around Virugambakkam market, say residents in unison. There is a garbage bin to the left of Kaliamman Koil Street, near Virugambakkam market, and this is always overflowing. “We think most of the garbage is from the market. The bin is not cleared on a daily basis,” said a vendor.

“Apart from garbage overflowing from the bin, the nauseating smell irritates the public and the place is also untidy,” said Swathi, a regular to the market.

When Talk Team contacted the traders in the market, they said the bins were not enough to hold the garbage generated by them. This leads to overflow of waste and it also gets scattered, making the area filthy.

Social activist Ravi Kumar said the market stretch is 100 meters in length and most shops are located near the intersection of Kaliamman Koil Street and this results in garbage being dumped in one spot.

He said the market was established in the early 1970s. As the nearby areas developed into residential hub, there is a need for more bins, he reasoned.

Rahika, a resident of Kalliamman Koil Street, said the best way to prevent overflowing of garbage is to collect it daily.
A Corporation official said steps to collect garbage daily and to provide more bins in the market area is under way.