Vacant plots, roadsides transform into garbage dumping sites in Kurukshetra

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, March 12

Poor sanitary conditions and dumping of waste on vacant plots and roadsides continue to be major civic problems for Kurukshetra residents.

Garbage treatment plant in the works

We have already identified a site for setting up a garbage treatment plant but due to some unforeseen problems it is not functional yet. The problems will be resolved soon and the plant will become functional. Monitoring is also being strengthened to keep a check on people who dump garbage in vacant plots or along roads and appropriate action will be taken against them. — Dr Vaishali Sharma, Municipal Commissioner

Massive amounts of waste material can be spotted lying dumped on vacant plots and other locations that come under the municipal corporation’s jurisdiction.

Thanesar was ranked 414 in the national rankings of Swachh Survekshan 2023, and it stood at the 20th spot across the state. In 2022, the city’s national ranking was 178th with the state ranking being 14th.

Residents complained that garbage was scattered in vacant areas and along all major roads, which presented a poor picture of the city. Besides, stray cattle could be seen foraging through the garbage dumping sites.

Tejinder Sharma, a resident, said: “Despite being a destination of international importance, the basic sanitary conditions are far from optimal. Piles of garbage can be spotted at various spots across the city. The MC has setup garbage collection facilities, but due to the absence of a proper disposal system, garbage ends up being dumped at random places. This practice not only adds to pollution in the city but will have larger ramifications in future.”

Naresh Kumar, a local resident, said: “While poor garbage collection has already been a major problem, residents are making the situation worse by dumping garbage in vacant plots and along roads. The residents should strictly adhere to proper waste disposal methods. The MC should take action against people who dispose garbage in the open, and focus on segregation of waste while collecting it.”

Yogesh Sharma, local JJP leader, said: “We have been raising the problem of a lack of proper sanitation conditions in the city repeatedly, but to no avail. The civic body has been spending crores annually in the name of sanitation and garbage collection system but the results of the concerted efforts seem to evade the residents. There is a lack of segregation of waste and even the collected garbage is dumped at random places.”

Municipal Commissioner Dr Vaishali Sharma said, “We have already identified a site for setting up a garbage treatment plant but due to some unforeseen problems it is not functional yet. The problems will be resolved soon and the plant will become functional. Monitoring is also being strengthened to keep a check on people who dump garbage in vacant plots or along roads and appropriate action will be taken against them.”