Heaps of garbage is littered on the streets of summer capital due to standoff between the residents of Achan and Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) over dumping of garbage of the city there.
People faced immense problems due to overflowing and stinking garbage dumpers across the summer capital. Piles of garbage could be seen at Bab Demb, Nowpora, Lal Chowk, Karan Nagar, Khanyar, Residency Road, Gupkar Road, Batamaloo, Natipora, Hyderpora, Soura and Bemina.
Pertinently, Achan is the lone dumping place in the summer capital. On an average 400 metric tons of solid garbage is produced per day in Srinagar and subsequently dumped at Achan garbage dump.
The residents of Achan have started an agitation demanding closure of the garbage dump.
“From last four days, the garbage dumpers are overflowing. SMC did not lift the garbage despite our repeated requests,” said Altaf Ahmad, a resident of Khanyar.
They city residents also complained that pungent smell is emanating from the accumulated garbage. “We are have a tough time as the bad odour has engulfed roads and streets,” said Mehraj Ahmad of Dalgate.
Many residents are irked by “non serious” attitude of SMC towards the unclean city roads and streets.
“SMC must sort out the issues with the Achan residents. Otherwise, with increasing temperature, there can be outbreak of an epidemic in Srinagar,” said Nazir Ahmad of Habba Kadal.
On Monday, police used force to disperse the protesters near Achan. They had halted the movement of dumpers from past many days.
The standoff between SMC and the Achan residents started last Saturday after they prevented the SMC vehicles from dumping garbage at in their vicinity.
The garbage dumpers have been parked on Batamaloo-Bemina crossing besides Karan Nagar from past several days.
The Achan residents have alleged that the garbage is being dumped without scientific treatment—posing threat to their ives.
“The foul stink emanating from the dumping site is affecting our health as we are living in its surroundings,” said a group of residents of Achan.
However, SMC officials claimed that “there is a conspiracy behind the halting of dumping operations by land mafia brokers who want to grab the Achan land.”
“Now when the things are going on smoothly, some elements with vested interest are trying to sabotage those efforts,” Chief Sanitation Officer, SMC, Manzoor Ahmad Turray.
“We are holding negotiations with the residents and will soon find a solution,” Turray added.
