Simian menace, poor sanitation make life difficult for Palampur residents

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 11

Housing colonies and tourist resorts, Ward No. 5 of the Palampur Municipal Corporation is one of the important wards. Before the formation of the Municipal Corporation, it was part of Aima panchayat. The area from Kali Bari temple to Neugal Café falls under the ward.

Sewerage project soon

A French agency-aided sewerage project sanctioned for Palampur town recently will be implemented in Ward No. 5 too. — Ashish Sharma, Palampur MC Commissioner

Like other wards, not much development has been seen here after the formation of the MC. However, the sanitation conditions have improved due to the daily house-to-house garbage collection. Owing to its proximity to Palampur town, the ward has been preferred by various civil, Army and other officials to settle in the area. Also, the ward has seen an exponential population growth in the last few years.

In most of the colonies here, residents are forced to live in a pitiable condition. Problems like pothole-riddled roads and streets, overflowing drains and contaminated drinking water irk residents.

In many areas, the stink from open toilets makes it difficult for the passers-by and commuters to cross the area. Many toilets either do not have septic tanks or the tanks are leaking and the dirty water is flowing into local water channels, raising health concerns.

Though the Palampur MC has laid paver tiles in some of the localities, many streets in the interiors are still in bad shape.

Traffic congestion due to narrow roads and wrongly parked vehicles is also a matter of concern. Many people who do not have parking facilities at their residence usually park their vehicles on the roadside, resulting in traffic jams and inconvenience to commuters.

The stray animal menace is also a major problem in this ward. Many residents, including schoolchildren, have suffered injuries due to attacks by monkeys here. The civic body has no arrangements in place to check the simian menace. Monkeys are moving freely and attacking people, damaging water tanks kept on rooftops and kitchen gardens. A number of local women have complained that monkeys carry off clothes and utensils from their homes.

Many residents say owing to the rising number of vehicles, the MC should construct a public parking in the ward.

Due to overflowing drains, stagnant water on the streets raises a stink and poses serious health hazards to the residents. Some of the paved streets in the ward have been damaged because of the overflowing drains and leaking drinking water pipes. A local water channel passing through the ward is turning into a dump in the absence of any check by the authorities concerned. This can lead to serious problems as this water channel is a source of drinking water in the lower areas of Palampur.

The ward also lacks a sewerage system, leading to unhygienic conditions here.

Ward resident Subhash Sharma, a social activist and member of NGO People’s Voice, said since the ward is expanding fast, the civic body must chalk out a plan to provide basic amenities to the residents. “The sewerage system must be laid on priority. There is also a shortage of potable water in summers and people often complain that the drinking water they get is contaminated,” he added.

Palampur MC Commissioner Ashish Sharma said a French agency-aided sewerage project was sanctioned for the town recently. The project is in its final stage and Ward No. 5 will also be covered under it. Besides, paver tiles are being laid in the ward, as desired by the local councillor. He said solar streetlights have already been installed in 90 per cent of the ward area.

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