CHENNAI: Alleging that the garbage collection vehicles operated by the local body were parked in their area for a long time every day, spreading an unbearable foul smell in the area and also putting the people at risk of developing health problems, dozens of residents of Chitlapakkam staged a protest by locking the waste segregation centre.

The waste segregation centre on Balaji Avenue in Chitlapakkam receives garbage collected from zone three of Tambaram Corporation. The waste, including household garbage and other waste, are segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable before being sent to the dump yard.

However, due to a shortage of workers, the garbage trucks are parked in the residential area for a long time, sometimes for the whole day, while waiting to unload or collect the garbage. Due to this, the stench from the waste is spread in the whole area, complained the residents, adding that they were also battling with disease-spreading insects because of this.

Furious that their complaints in this regard was not attended to, the residents gathered at the gate of the segregation centre on Wednesday and staged a protest against the corporation after locking its gate.

On information, the health department officials from Tambaram Corporation rushed to the spot and held talks to pacify the residents. The officials promised them that the trucks would not be parked in the residential areas for a long time. Following the assurance, the residents withdrew the protest and unlocked the gate.