HYDERABAD, Sept 18: Unhygienic conditions prevailed in several residential areas of the Latifabad taluka on Monday. The receding water has left behind heaps of garbage containing domestic waste which rotted in rainwater.

It may be mentioned that the Latifabad taluka municipal administration does not have adequate strength of sanitary workers to handle the situation.

Contrary to claims of District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil that a fumigation campaign was going on in the city, people in Latifabad-8 and American quarters said that several days back an anti-mosquito spray was conducted in the areas, not the large-scale fumigation.

Shopkeepers opened their shops but there was foul smell of stagnant rainwater everywhere that had turned blackish.

The situation is quite bad from cleanliness point of view in streets of Latifabad-2, 8, 9, 10 and 11.

Sadaat and Warsi colonies and other connected streets of unit-9 were still under ankle-deep rainwater and the similar situation was in streets of unit-10.

The main road of unit-11 leading to market, Ayub colony, C-II and B-II blocks and other residential parts was under rainwater though boats were not operating.

“Some six days back a vehicle was seen spraying the area but since then no one visited the area for the same spray”, said a shopkeeper in the American quarters.

Residents of unit-8 and 12 said that no such spray was conducted in the areas.

“The mosquitoes are increasing very fast”, said a young boy.

The Latifabad TMA has around 240 sanitary workers and a month back it had privatised sanitation work in some six UCs where around 120 sanitary workers were working now.

Given large population in each UC of the taluka, the TMA found it has to meet minimum possible needs of cleanliness.

“Certainly the TMA is under-strength as far as sanitary workers are concerned. The sanitation work which costs Rs90 million per annum out of TMA’s budget is not considered as development work. We have already launched sanitation work in some UCs”, said Latifabad taluka nazim Sabir Qaimkhani.

He said that blades were being used to remove hard garbage while patch work on roads had also been started.

He said that in UC-3 and 10 roads were being cleared of water.

There was a marked recession in the level of water in Latifabad-2 but still it was under knee-deep water which continued to be drained out through temporary pumping station in the Public school and unit-9.

The relief camp has not been closed in the Public school which was catering to needs of residents of Latifabad-2.

“Around 4,060 residents of unit-2 are staying in the camp and their needs are being met”, said a volunteer who was distributing lunch among rain-affected people.

The environment in vegetable and fruit auction market is highly polluted because water had been drained out but sanitation is yet to be ensured.

Several shops remained closed as they were remained inaccessible to shopkeepers.

Trucks and vans carrying fruits and vegetables faced difficulties in entering market.

Road infrastructure is completely battered as well.

The main roads like the Hyderabad-Tando Mohammad Khan, Wazir Ali industries road, BISE office, Airport, unit-10, general bus stand and Autobahn roads have been completely destroyed.

The Hyderabad-Tando Mohammad Khan road whose one side is completely closed is used by heavy vehicles and commuters for going towards Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin and Tharparkar.

Besides, motorists and motorcyclists, the general bus stand is causing tremendous problems to passengers of vans taking passengers to interior towns.

The Autobahn road is operating only one way because the water drained out from the GOR and Baban Shah colonies.