Ranchi: Mounting pressure on the city's sanitation system ahead of the monsoon came under sharp focus on Monday as the municipal corporation reviewed preparedness across all 53 wards.
The meeting, chaired by mayor Roshni Khalkho, was attended by ward councillors and officials from the sanitation and health branch. Key concerns included shortage of sanitation workers, poor garbage collection in narrow lanes, irregular drain cleaning, and the need to intensify anti-mosquito measures before the rains begin.
Councillors said the workforce is proving inadequate in several densely populated wards, where waste generation has increased. The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has around 2,500 sanitation workers. Ward 17 councillor Fatima Sameem said her area was under particular strain because of the presence of schools and religious institutions. “There are several schools, temples, mosques and churches in the ward. The existing labour force was unable to reach residential areas after managing the main stretches. On our request, around 10 additional sanitation workers are being provided, which may bring some relief,” she said. She also pointed to the continuing waste problem on Kasai Mohalla Road. “Garbage keeps piling up and managing it is not easy,” she added.
Officials discussed deploying smaller garbage vehicles and rickshaw carts in congested settlements and narrow lanes where large compactors cannot enter regularly. Plans were also reviewed for weekly cleaning of major drains, covering open drains, removing encroachments that obstruct drainage flow, and carrying out regular fogging and bleaching powder spraying.
The mayor said preparations had already begun to prevent garbage accumulation and mosquito-related problems during the rainy season. “The corporation is working on strengthening sanitation systems at the ward level so that residents face minimum inconvenience during monsoon,” she said.
Additional measures discussed include increasing the frequency of garbage collection in high-density areas, deploying mobile squads for spot-fines on littering, and launching awareness campaigns to encourage waste segregation at source. The RMC also plans to repair and replace damaged drain covers and ensure that all stormwater drains are desilted before the monsoon sets in. Councillors from several wards requested more dustbins and community bins in public places to reduce open dumping. The mayor assured that these demands would be addressed on a priority basis.
