Landour board, Mussoorie MC reconcile; ward member Bhandari raises the devil

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, June 14

The Landour Cantonment Board and the Mussoorie Municipal Council (MC) seem to be heading towards resolving the garbage collection issue. The board is constructing a trenching ground at Company Khud while the council started lifting garbage from the cantonment board area on Friday.

However, the controversy has got a new twist with ward member Ramesh Bhandari making all efforts to get the trenching ground construction stopped. Bhandari, along with his supporters, blocked traffic on the Tehri bypass yesterday. The ward No. 1, which Ramesh Bhandari represents, is adjacent to the trenching ground site. He is known for his proximity to Municipal Council president Manmohan Singh Mall.

Bhandari alleged the selected site was near a water source and a residential colony. He also submitted a memorandum to the CEO of the board asking him to stop the construction immediately.

On the other hand, vice-president of the board Mahesh Chand met SDM, Mussoorie, Shalini Negi, and apprised her of the situation. He alleged that the ward member was playing petty politics. Negi assured him of looking into the matter.

The controversy began when Mahesh Chand sided with Manmohan Mall's arch political rival Megh Singh Kandari in opposing the proposal of giving the eco-tax barrier at Kholhukhet to private parties. Following this, Mall stopped the collection of garbage from the Landour Cantonment Board area as was the earlier arrangement. The issue became an ego clash between the two leaders.

Later, Dehradun District Magistrate Ravinath Raman directed the Municipal Council to continue with garbage collection till the board constructs its own trenching ground. Meanwhile, Cantonment board residents have termed the incident unfortunate and are demanding an amicable solution to the problem.

"The Landour Cantonment Board is constructing a trenching ground near a residential colony. Moreover, the site is also near a source of drinking water. If the trenching ground comes up, it will pose a health risk to the residents of the town. We are opposing this in the larger interest of people." Ramesh Bhandari,  ward member

"The Municipal Council is responsible for the fiasco. Ward members, instead of interfering in our matter, should rather oppose the MC’s trenching ground at Gaddi Khana, which is also situated near a residential colony." Mahesh Chand, vice-president of landour cantt board

"The Landour Board does not have a proper site for a trenching ground. Both parties should try to resolve the matter amicably. The earlier arrangement of garbage collection should be continued in the larger interest of the town." Baadal Prakash, ward member