Proposal decent, surroundings not : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

Proposal decent, surroundings not

CHANDIGARH: Picture this: Three youths live in an area where one can die of stink, but this is not what they are bothered about.

Proposal decent, surroundings not

Sandeep Joshi



Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22

Picture this: Three youths live in an area where one can die of stink, but this is not what they are bothered about. Their problem is rather grave. The dumping ground located adjacent to their house has put their matrimonial prospects in jeopardy.

It’s not only the story of Yuvraj, Suraj and Aakash Singh. Many other youths have left home and started living in a rented accommodation so that they can tie the knot with the girl of their choice.

“No one is ready to marry off their daughters to youths living in the area. If a family agrees, the girl refuses. Fair enough, who would want to live in a place which stinks so badly,” said Suraj.

Sangita Bansal, who runs a grocery store in the main market of the colony while echoing a similar sentiment, said people were reluctant to marry off their daughters in Dadu Majra.

As the work at the processing unit is yet to take off, residents are praying to the weather god to delay the rain.

“The cloudy weather has aggravated our concern. If it will rain, our lives will become miserable due to the stink emanating from the dumping ground. During rainy days, one is not able to breathe even,” said Rakesh Aggarwal, a resident of the colony.

The residents complained that every day tonnes of garbage, including biomedical waste, was being bumped in the yard. “We appeal to the authorities to get the dumping site shifted elsewhere. Protests and hunger strikes have been of no help. Protesters were ‘lathi-charged’. We do not trust the system. Our politicians are busy politicising the issue, no one is coming forward to resolve the issue,” said Yuvraj.

His friend Aakash said: “The dumping site has affected land prices in Dadu Majra colony. While in other areas of the city, the real estate prices are soaring, in our area no one is ready to buy the property,” complained Aaksah.

Skin and eye allergy are common here. “During the elections, politicians make rhetorical speeches claiming to shift the site, but soon after the elections, the promise is forgotten,” complained the residents. The NGT had sent a notice to the plant authorities and the MC seeking the details about the garbage processing.

Compost unit soon: MC Joint Commissioner

The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, is soon going to float tenders for the processing of garbage into compost. According to Manoj Khatri, MC, Joint Commissioner, the tender of processing 200 tonnes of biodegradable waste will be floated soon.


QUOTES

I have  written to city MP Kirron Kher and also sent a letter to the Municipal  Commissioner requesting them to shift the dumping ground to some other place as it is posing a grave threat to the health of residents. —Permila Kumari, BJP councillor

I had sent a letter to BJP president Amit Shah requesting him to get the dumping site shifted as it is affecting thousands of people.  It was in 1994 that the Administration had stopped dumping garbage for nearly a month. But some petty politician in connivance with the authorities again allowed the dumping of garbage. Since then, waste not only from Chandigarh, but Mohali and Panchkula too is dumped here. —Devi ram Aggarwal,  president, market committee

We sympathise with residents of Dadu Majra. The issue was taken up with the NGT on Monday.  The next hearing is on Wednesday. We are pursuing the issue and  trying to resolve the problem. —Manoj Khatri, MC  Joint Commissioner 

What’s the solution?

Residents of Maloya too are suffering. The liquid residue of the garbage enters Maloya village which can become a cause of water-borne diseases. —Rajesh Kalia, Maloya councillor 

A month ago, a fire broke out in the dumping yard and the smoke caused chest and eye allergies. If the processing plant is not functioning, the MC should look for an alternative place for dumping the garbage —Ilam Chand, retired government servant:

The dumping ground is a breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes. The garbage should be processed.   Cases of dengue and fever are on the rise in the city’s west. There should be a garbage disposal policy. Waste can be used to generate manure, compost and power —Jorawar Singh, CEO, Olympus Mgmt 

 I spent my life hoping that the dumping site would be shifted. I saw my friends, near and dear ones dying due to diseases. We are paying the price of being poor. —Dharampal,  a senior citizen 

Top News

Arvind Kejriwal to be produced before Delhi court today as 6-day ED custody ends

Excise policy case: Delhi court extends ED custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 1

In his submissions, Kejriwal said, ‘I am named by 4 witnesse...

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

The bench refuses to comment on merits of the issue, saying ...

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

MEA spokesperson says India is proud of its independent and ...

Bullying Congress culture, no wonder being rejected: PM Modi, backs senior lawyers who flagged attempts to undermine public trust in judiciary

Bullying Congress culture, no wonder being rejected: PM Modi

Backs senior lawyers who flagged attempts to undermine publi...

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Bhatt, who was sacked from the force in 2015, is already beh...


Cities

View All