How garbage collection becomes a source of violent disputes
HYDERABAD: A sanitation worker was murdered in a dispute over garbage collection territory in Medipally limits, with police uncovering the crime nearly three months later.
The victim, Pandipati Aikayya alias Nagaraju (Bakkaiah), who collected garbage in Adibatla and Ibrahimpatnam municipal areas, was abducted on December 30, 2025. His family filed a missing complaint at Medipally police station on January 21.
Dispute over high-income garbage collection areas
Police said Nagaraju worked with relatives Srisailam and Narasimha in garbage collection across residential and commercial areas, earning up to ₹1 lakh a month.
A dispute arose over control of profitable areas. Nagaraju had earlier given some routes to the accused but later demanded them back after his income dropped. The disagreement escalated.
Investigators said the accused decided to eliminate him to settle the issue permanently.
Victim abducted, killed and dumped in river
During questioning, Srisailam and Narasimha confessed to killing Nagaraju, placing the body in a sack and dumping it near the Musi river bridge at Korremula Bacharam.
Police recovered skeletal remains from the site and sent them to Gandhi Hospital for examination.
Garbage collection turns into lucrative, conflict-prone sector
Police said the murder stemmed directly from a dispute over garbage collection territory, which has become a source of steady income in the city.
Such incidents are not isolated. Similar killings and attempts have been reported in areas including KPHB and Abdullapurmet in recent months.
Residents expressed concern over rising violence linked to garbage collection work, questioning how the sector generates such high earnings.
From municipal work to informal economy
Before 2007, sanitation workers collected garbage using cycle rickshaws under municipal supervision, earning about ₹6,000 per month.
In 2009, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation signed an agreement with a private firm to manage door-to-door collection and dumping operations. Resistance from workers led to prolonged disputes until 2015.
In 2016, GHMC introduced an owner-cum-driver scheme, providing vehicles to workers. However, instead of fixed salaries, workers were allowed to collect user charges from households, initially capped at ₹50.
Earnings rise, disputes intensify
Collection charges have since increased to ₹100–₹300 per household in some areas. Workers also earn by selling recyclable waste.
Each worker controls 200–500 houses, with areas treated as personal assets and passed within families. In some cases, these areas are sold for ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore depending on income potential.
Police and civic authorities have not effectively regulated the sector, allowing disputes to escalate into violence.
Areas treated as assets, even in marriages
Garbage collection zones are now treated as hereditary assets. In some cases, areas are given as dowry during marriages.
With new colonies emerging, disputes over control have intensified, with groups engaging in threats, assaults and, in extreme cases, murder.
