syracuse Historic Center Faces Hygiene Concerns, Residents report
A recent survey conducted by the Ortigia Citiginance Committee reveals significant dissatisfaction among residents regarding urban hygiene services in the historic center of Syracuse. the survey, focused on the quality of services provided by Tekra, indicates a widespread perception of inadequate cleanliness within Ortigia.
The Committee’s findings point to issues beyond simple public incivility, attributing the degradation to inefficiencies within the contracted service itself. Residents report infrequent adn sporadic street sweeping, with some areas, particularly sidewalks, receiving no regular attention.Road washing is described as occasional, and waste baskets are emptied inconsistently and with limited effectiveness.
Moreover, services outlined in the contract - specifically training and information programs aimed at raising public awareness - are reportedly non-existent. Compensatory services introduced through a 2023 contractual amendment, intended to address urban decor and cleanliness, have not yielded noticeable improvements. The promised increase in jettacarty (waste bin) availability has also allegedly not been fulfilled.
The Ortigia Citiginance Committee highlights two key areas of concern: tax management and territorial monitoring. They claim tax arrears have reached 50%, with continued high levels of evasion. The Committee criticizes the governance’s reliance on door-to-door checks by environmental police,deeming them ”lenses and not very effective,” and advocates for the implementation of technological tools to cross-reference databases and identify tax defaulters.
Regarding monitoring, the Committee argues that the current environmental police presence is insufficient to effectively oversee the Syracuse area.They propose the installation of surveillance systems, such as cameras and phototraps, to deter illegal dumping and provide documentation of violations.
Tekra’s performance remains a central point of criticism. The 2023 contractual variant, presented as a compensatory measure for missed separate collection targets, is perceived by the Committee as failing to deliver tangible benefits. According to a Committee press release,the only observable outcome has been “an increase in justifications and missed promises,certainly not an betterment in the service.”
The Committee concludes that the deterioration of the historic center is not solely attributable to citizen behavior, but rather to ineffective service management and control systems that fail to curb illegal dumping or tax evasion.They urge Mayor Francesco Italia to address the issue comprehensively, emphasizing the need for accountability from all stakeholders – administration, the service provider, and residents – to ensure the city receives the standard of service it deserves.
