Decks cleared for Municipal Council in Bir-Billing amidst waste woes

The decks have been cleared for the establishment of a Municipal Council (MC) at Bir-Billing, as no objections were filed against the proposal. November 30 was the last day for submitting objections regarding the creation of the MC, but none were received. With this, the notification for its formation is likely to be issued within a week.

The move comes at a time when Bir-Billing — now dotted with hotels, restaurants, homestays and commercial complexes — has been grappling with a worsening garbage disposal crisis. Until recently, the Bir Hotel Association had been carrying out door-to-door garbage collection on its own, without any assistance from the state government. However, citing a shortage of resources and growing financial constraints, the association is no longer able to continue the service. As a result, plastic wrappers, mineral water bottles and liquor containers have begun accumulating in streets, drains and even forested areas.

The picturesque tourist destination, renowned globally as one of the world’s top 10 paragliding sites, has been battling this crisis for nearly a year. The situation has raised serious questions about the functioning of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA), which was constituted by the state government to oversee the region’s development.

Despite repeated appeals from residents, the district administration — operating without a municipal council — has failed to install a garbage treatment plant or implement scientific waste management practices over the past decade.

Baijnath MLA Kishori Lal, when contacted by The Tribune, said there was no delay on the government’s part in constituting the MC at Bir-Billing. He said the state Cabinet had already approved the proposal from the Urban Development Department, but due to opposition from some local residents, the government had withheld the notification. “Now that no objections have been filed, the final notification is expected at any moment,” he added.

Local environmentalists warn that without timely intervention and curbs on unplanned construction, Bir-Billing risks losing the very spaces that paragliders need to land. They also point out that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had, in 2018, directed the state government to install a garbage treatment plant in the area. Yet, seven years later, no concrete progress has been made.