Noida CEO pulls up health dept over garbage heaps, clogged drains

Noida Authority chief executive officer (CEO) Lodkesh M has served a notice to the public health department and directed it to take up necessary measures to maintain the city’s cleanliness

Heaps of garbage piled up along roads, clogged drains and filthy water inundating footpaths — Noida streets paint a grim picture due to lack of cleanliness exercise.

Garbage dumped on the streets in Sector 27 on Saturday. (Sunil Ghosh /HT PHOTO)

Dissatisfied with the sanitation work across the city, Noida Authority chief executive officer (CEO) Lodkesh M has served a notice to the public health department and directed it to take up necessary measures to maintain the city’s cleanliness.

The official said that despite repeated orders being issued in the past, no action has been taken to address the situation. The health department has been granted three days to ensure compliance with the orders, failing which legal action will be initiated, he said.

In a notice served to the public health department, the CEO said, “No workers, sanitation staff or supervisors could be spotted engaged in the city’s sanitation work. Roadsides are lined with garbage, while drains are clogged with silt and trash.”

“The clogged drains are becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes and posing risk of dengue and other infections. Footpaths are lying inundated, while the roads are not being swept,” added the CEO.

“If the situation does not improve, disciplinary action, including suspension, would be initiated against the official concerned,” the CEO said.

Noida residents have been taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to post their complaints regarding lack of cleanliness in the city.

A user recently posted pictures of garbage and stray cattle feeding on them at Sector 62 in Rasulpur Nawada.

Another user, Ajay Kumar, tagged the Noida Authority to bring its attention towards the abysmal condition of Amrapali Sapphire in Sector 45, complaining about garbage and persistent stench in the area.

“The sanitation staff is spotted only once in six months here to take up desilting work. Regular cleaning of drains is not carried out here, which results in accumulation of garbage in drains, leading to waterlogging even after light showers. While main roads are cleaned once in a while, the bylanes remain neglected. The stray cattle add to our woes”, said Laxmi Narayan, general secretary, RWA, Sector 19.