CHENNAI: Garbage disposal on vacant sites is a perennial problem in the city. And residents of Second Avenue in Sakthi Nagar, Nolambur, are fuming over it, as large piles of household waste dumped at a vacant site in the street are raising an unholy stink. After the recent rains, the area has been waterlogged.

"The land is private property, and it seems like the owner had bought it and left it open for construction work," noted Manikandan, a resident.

“The whole place looks like a dumpyard,” he lamented, adding, “The Corporation cleans the waste once in a while; however, they haven’t cleared the place after the rains.”

There are overgrown weeds in the site, and the water has covered the area that was already filled with all kinds of solid and plastic waste. Because it’s a residential area with apartments and independent houses, many senior citizens walk more often on this stretch. It also leads to a nursing college hostel and a school. So, many students use the path.

Residents have been demanding that the Corporation clear the waste, as piled-up garbage can invite pests and rodents, and also lead to various health issues in the area. “There is a high risk of snakes coming out of their natural habitats and the site becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which increases the health risks. It could also attract stray cattle and dogs to the area,” stated another resident.

Despite several attempts by DT Next, officials attached to Ward 143 failed to respond.