Amritsar MC starts drive to control rodents in Company Bagh area

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, February 29

Finally, the Municipal Corporation has initiated pest management to curb the population of rodents in the historic Ram Bagh, also known as Company Garden. Last week, it was highlighted in these columns that the Company Bagh required effective pest management to save the trees from rodents. Following this, MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh asked the officials of MC horticulture wing to take immediate action in this regard. The horticulture wing staff of MC today initiated pest management in Company Garden.

However, some groups of locals roaming inside the garden objected to the move on the basis of religious beliefs. The MC staff claimed that they linked the rats with ‘Lord Ganesha’ and opposed the MC move. “There are some persons, walking in the garden, who told the MC workers that killing rats is against their religious beliefs,” said an MC official.

PC Sharma, a social activist, who had written to the MC to kill rats to save centuries-old trees in the historic garden, said, “There must be some irrational visitors in the garden, who were not able to value the flora in the garden. A number of trees have fallen because of damage to trunks due to rat holes. A number of morning walkers can be seen leaving rats in the garden, which they catch from their house. I have written to the MC that illegal elite clubs in the garden dump a lot of food inside the garden, which attracts rodents. The health wing of MC recently found during its inspection that clubs are dumping their kitchen waste in the garden. The MC should take action against the clubs to curb the population of rats.”

Talking about the religious beliefs, former Health Minister and president, Durgiana Temple Committee, Laxmi Kanta Chawla said, “There is nothing wrong in controlling the rat population as they are damaging flora in the garden. Rats are health hazards too. Those opposing the MC move should accommodate the rats in their homes.”