Locals fear epidemic outbreak as garbage lie in open
SUHAIL RATHORE
(Hajin) Bandipora, May 09 : The inhabitants of Bhangar Mohalla Hajin area of North Kashmirs Bandipora district are up in arms against the officials of Municipal Committee for failing to maintain cleanliness in the town.
Residents allege that piles of garbage are seen in the residential areas owing to which intolerable foul smell has made the life of the residents miserable and risking the lives of residents and commuters specially school children. They said with onset of summer, there is possibility of an epidemic as garbage will attract various diseases.
They said the Municipality employees are dumping garbage in open High school premises resulting in the foul smelling in the class rooms. “The Students find it difficult to study properly in the class rooms because of the bad smell,” they said
Locals further stated that the land left for lanes and drains have been encroached by the people and narrow lanes creating obstacles for the Municipality employees to bring trolleys inside many areas in the area.
“Safaiwals avoid carrying garbage and many times left garbage at particular points which have taken a shape of huge dumps of garbage”, they said, adding that the government has provided hundreds of dustbins to be installed in every corner of the wards, but MC officials seems to have dumped the stock out of their eyes and might be getting rusted.
Mohammad Saleem and Sheikh Musavir both students from Hajin stated that Municipality Hajin has become totally defunct and the general public is forced to launch agitation.
Inhabitants of Hajin especially Bhangar Mohalla have appealed to the Deputy Commissioner Bandipora to instruct the Municipal Officials to perform their duties with dedication and improve the hygienic atmosphere of the area which is situated on the bank of Jehlum lake.
Another resident Inayat Hajini, said due to faulty sewerage system the inhabitants face immense problems when dirty water enters their houses forcing them to live in unhygienic conditions.
He added that most of the areas are without street lights and in many years street lights are out of service for the last many months which creating lot of problems for the commuters, especially during the months of winter, in the early morning and late evening hours.”Some encroachers have even not spared the stairs made under MLA fund for the benefits of the commuters and at many wards illegal construction has raised question mark on the safety of adjoining buildings. Matter has been taken several times with the Executive Officer but despite several instructions /directions by him the MC officials didn’t bother to take action against these encroachers, for the reasons best known to MC officials” said Inayat.
Residents appealed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for conducting impartial probe into the misuse of Municipality funds, illegal and unauthorized constructions and employees engaged during last 5 years by the MC, Hajin as the information sought in this matter (employees engaged) has been denied several times under RTI Act.
When contacted Executive officer Municipal committee Hajin Ab Rashid Teeli, he said he has recently joined and is totally unaware of the issue. He said the vehicles of the committee are defunct since couple of months and assured within days we will solve the matter.