When Will Authorities Take Action Against Garbage Dumps in Shimla?

The panchayat and government are not willing to understand the condition of the people in Neri.

The lack of cleanliness equals problems aplenty for Sangati in Shimla.

(Photo: Arnica Kala/The Quint)

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 October 2014, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, said to be a nationwide exercise, has become faint today. Take the example of Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, namely the Sangati ward of village panchayat Neri, where there is no arrangement for garbage disposal in the entire area.

As a result, the garbage is dumped in adjoining forests and nallahs. Waste in the ward is something that spreads through the nallah to the entire forest area. The forest department or the governing body is not taking the responsibility for keeping the area clean either.

The Forest Department has put a board in the area that says, ‘littering is not allowed here’. But beyond that, it doesn’t seem that the department has a will to find a solution to the problem, because the waste continues to damage the forest estate.

Problems for Residents

Lack of adequate arrangement for garbage collection and its management has become a big problem for the residents. Roads surrounding the border of the Himachal Pradesh University are evidence of the tragedy of garbage accumulation. On these roads, ridden with potholes, dirty water gets accumulated in the rainy season, adding to troubles for the traveler.

The lack of cleanliness equals problems aplenty for Sangati. If a proper cleaning system is not laid for the ward, and the roads are not fixed, it would be a feasting ground for diseases.

Regardless, the administration and the government are not willing to understand the condition of the people here. For now, everyone is healthy, but it cannot be said for sure till when. The consequences of open waste need to be kept in mind.

The Authorities’ Response

The Pradhan of Neri panchayat, Devendra Thakur, told me about the initiative taken to keep the ward clean with the help of the Municipal Corporation.

“Previously, people were hired to collect garbage from each house of the ward but it failed because there wasn’t a systematic facility of a vehicle for door-to-door collection. So now, we are going to make a cluster for garbage disposal, but we would need help from every resident.”

The population of the Sangati ward is close to 1500. Of these, there are out of state students as well who are studying in the State University, and they stay at rented houses here. Every day, their daily commute is through garbage-laden roads which are contaminated and one cannot even stand and breathe there.

Given this environment of suffocation, the residents are making a great compromise by living in the area. They say that no one listens to their concerns. They are being ignored by the State government.

Recently, the National Green Tribunal also said in its report that dust particles in some cities of the state, especially industrial cities, have increased beyond the standard. But the regional capital of Shimla is not far behind. The NGT has recently warned the state government that they should take appropriate steps to keep the environment tidy.

It is worth noting that the loss in Sangati will not only be of the life of the people but also the environment. It is assumed as if the environment is ‘free’ for us to exploit.

By way of such ignorance, the state government has sidelined Article 48 (a) of the Indian Constitution, which states in clear words that the state will try to protect and safeguard the environment and conservation and forest and wildlife.

Proper management of waste is a critical need of environment and public health. Therefore, the responsibility of the right disposal of the waste as enshrined in our laws has been given to the State and its people. It is unfortunate to learn from locals that even after crores of rupees spent in the name of cleanliness, the people responsible for changing the face of Sangati have been inefficient and unwilling.

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