As the Sankranti festival approaches, residents are concerned about the growing piles of garbage due to the ongoing strike by sanitation workers.

The strike, seeking a ₹4,000 monthly wage hike, has left the streets cluttered for the past two weeks, raising sanitation worries among the denizens.

Expressing her concern, P. Mahalakshmi from MVP Colony highlighted the impact on traditional rangoli-making, as the stench from accumulated garbage makes it undesirable for women and young girls. 

Residents appeal to authorities to clear the streets before the festival begins with Bhogi on January 14.

GVMC Chief Medical Officer Naresh Kumar assures that efforts are underway to manage the situation with alternative staff during the strike.

However, with the corporation handling 845 tonnes of waste daily, the available staff has only managed to remove 1,200 tonnes from bins, leaving 1,400 tonnes of uncleared waste on the streets.

Dr. Naresh expresses hope for a resolution to the strike before the festival.

Meanwhile, P. Venkata Reddy, honorary president of the CITU-affiliated GVMC Contract Workers Welfare Union, clarifies that the demand is a modest ₹4,000 hike.

Emphasizing that urban local bodies handle salaries independently, Reddy urges Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to understand the logic behind the demand.

The strike has resulted in the police detaining at least 100 activists attempting to lay siege to the Visakhapatnam Collectorate on Monday.