Swachh drive misses target in Rajouri

Shyam Sood

Rajouri, August 25

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have made no success in Rajouri district, especially town, as heaps of garbage lie strewn in corners, lanes and markets.

As there is no provision for dumping of solid waste, the Rajouri Municipal Committee (MC) dumps solid waste in the Rajouri river and at vulnerable places such as the new and old bus stands, near schools, hospital and at public places.

Municipal Committee employees dump tonnes of solid waste, collected from various localities of the town, by the riverside.

“After dumping the solid waste at by the riverside, Municipal Committee employees either burn it or the garbage falls into the river, putting the lives of hundreds of people in danger who consume the river water and leading to death of fish,” said an official of the Fisheries Department.

He said the dumping of the solid waste in the river was not only polluting the river but there was also a fear of the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

“Despite lodging several complaints with the in charge, district pollution board, and the district administration, nothing has been done so far in this regard,” said social activist Yog Raj Sharma.

“For the last many years, the department had been looking for a suitable place to dispose of the solid waste,” said Manzoor Lone, Executive Officer, MC.

He said three places had been identified to dispose of solid waste and the report had been submitted to the higher authorities. “The places identified by the MC to dispose of solid waste were rejected because of fragile ecology, human habitations in the vicinity and threat to air, soil and water,” said the in charge, pollution control board.

Several social activists of the town have also accused the Fisheries department for its negligence in monitoring the rivers and anti-environment activities.

“Continuous dumping of garbage on the banks of the Rajouri river by the MC is disturbing and will lead to a major problem. Dumping untreated garbage in the river is a serious issue as hundreds of people down the river use its water for drinking,” said a pollution control board official.

Not only are the MC workers dumping the garbage on the banks of the river, but they also burn it in the dumpsters leading to air pollution.