Solan Ward Watch - Kather: Illegal dumping of debris threatens village near National Highway

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, March 27

The illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste along the Solan-Shimla National Highway at the Kather bypass has become an cause of concern for locals.

Tonnes of waste can be seen dumped on the roadside in the absence of a check from the civic body.

It was approved as an authorised construction and demolition waste (CDW) dumping site for some years and the waste generated during the four-laning work was dumped here.

Even after the completion of the four-laning work, the dumping of waste continues here. This was posing a major risk to a village below.

Though the Solan Municipal Corporation (MC) has tried to regulate the dumping at this site as it was an authorised site, in the absence of adequate measures little could be done. “It could have generated revenue if some fee was charged from those using the site. This could have also checked illegal dumping,” said Rajiv Kaura, former Deputy Mayor and a Councillor of Solan MC.

The site overlooks a nullah and the mound of debris could erode with heavy rain, hindering the natural flow of water. It could prove disastrous during heavy rain. Immediate measures should be taken to check illegal dumping at the site as it was a threat to the villagers residing around it.

Solan MC Mayor Usha Sharma stated that the site was no longer with the civic body and it had been taken back by the district administration recently. They could no longer regulate illegal dumping here, she added. The Mayor also expressed concern at the unchecked dumping as it could threaten the village lying below as well as block the nearby nullah.

Ward Councillor Rajni said efforts should be made to curb the illegal dumping, which was posing a hazard to the villagers.

Old-timers recall that some children, who were using a path located at the dumping site to reach the highway were buried under the debris.

Their bodies were exhumed after several hours of search.

Things had come to such a pass that private individuals were seen charging unathorised fee from those dumping their waste here in the recent past.

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