The roadside dustbins and containers and every nook and corner these days are hardly found without garbage littering all around in a city that had a reputation until recently as a clean one.

City dwellers blamed the indifference to the problem and inaction of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) for the 'worsening' situation. The CCC, however, said they are handicapped owing to shortage of manpower and lack of sufficient number of vehicles.

"I've been practising at Dewan Bazar for the past 20 years. This busy road was always nice and clean until end of 2006. But for the last few months, the scenario has changed completely as the dustbins overflow with garbage. The CCC cleaners or vehicles are hardly seen nowadays to clear the overflowing dustbins in the densely-populated ward," Dr Swapan Kumar Chowdhury, a child and asthma specialist at Didar Market Chamber, told this correspondent pointing his finger at the pile of garbage.

He said the odour from the heap of garbage might cause health hazards like pneumonia, asthma, typhoid, jaundice and other air-borne diseases to the passers-by especially the children.

Inhabitants of Didar Market said only 50 private small vans collect garbages from adjoining residential areas of Chandanpura, Anderkilla and DC Road everyday and dump those in an open container of CCC, just in front of the market. The garbage often occupy large portion of the road.

The pedestrians, including students, office goers and garment workers, suffer much as most of the dustbins and containers on the alleys and thoroughfares remain filled with garbage for several days.

The overflowing dustbins are common sight at Halishahar, Agrabad Access Road, Choumuhani, Pathantuli Road, Kadamtali, Reazuddin Bazar, Station Road, Firingee Bazar, Momin Road, Dewan Bazar, Chawk Bazar, Chittagong Medical College Hospital area and OR Nizam Road.

Although piles of garbage rot all the day or several days in a row to pollute the air and pose a threat to health hazards, the CCC mostly turns a blind eye to the problem, said the locals.

Mohammed Ekramul Haque, a businessman and resident of Sabujbag area in Halishahar, said the CCC cleaners are most irregular in their area.

The garbage remains untouched for several days making nuisance for the residents of the area, he said.

Dewan Bazar Traders Association General Secretary Tridiv Dhar said they have written several letters in vain to the CCC Conservancy Department to address the menace.

Dewan Bazar Ward Commissioner Chowdhury Hasan Mahmud Hasni said shortage of vehicles and sufficient dustbins have made the situation beyond tolerance. He too urged the authorities to take immediate steps to get rid of the situation.

Imam Hossain Liton, a businessman of OR Nizam Road, said, "We have become habituated to live with the garbage in our areas," said.

Five private clinics and several posh markets are situated in the area.

The CCC has 1,243 dustbins and 36 containers for 41 wards and a workforce of 1,855 cleaners and staffs.

The CCC officials said it is really hard to cope with the growing demand of the citizens with this workforce.

Besides, 103 vehicles of the CCC are not sufficient by any means to collect over 1,000 tonnes of garbage daily from the dustbins and containers and two dumping grounds at Halishahar and Roufabad, said CCC Chief Conservancy Officer Saifuddin Mahmud Katebi.

Of the vehicles, 54 move in the morning, 42 in the afternoon and seven in the evening, he said.

Katebi said, "The CCC team usually rushes to different spots more than once a day on the basis of the importance of a particular area."