Jawali residents relieved as garbage dumping site shut

Our Correspondent

NURPUR, DECEMBER 12

Finally, the state forest department has started closing temporary garbage dumping site in Jawali town where local nagar panchayat comprising nine wards had been throwing garbage in the open.

The land (over two kanals), which had been converted into an open garbage site, pertains to state forest department. Local residents, opposing open garbage dumping there since a long, heaved a sigh of relief after fencing of forest land was started for permanent closure of garbage dumping site.

Recently, The Tribune had carried news report in these columns highlighting the plight of the residents who are living in vicinity of the garbage dumping site. A government primary school, local bus stand and civil hospital premises are just around 50 meters away from this site. Foul smell emanating from heaps of garbage and breeding of mosquitoes and flies had made the public life miserable.

The affected residents had registered their complaint with the Chief Minister Helpline a few days ago and also submitted their complaint to the forest department authorities.

Pushpa Chowdhary, former chairperson of Jawali nagar panchayat, and Ravi Kumar, former pradhan of Jawali gram panchayat, have welcomed closing of garbage dumping site by the forest department. They said this site had turned into a public nuisance and residents were under the threat of outbreak of an epidemic. The Jawali nagar panchayat had failed to identify any government land away from locality where garbage dumping site could be developed during the past four years.

Meanwhile, nagar panchayat secretary-cum-tehsildar along with local administration examined a government land for developing garbage dumping site on Thursday. Ghian Chand, range officer, forest department, said that the department had started fencing its land and nagar panchayat would not be allowed to throw garbage in forest land.