Garbage is piling up in Lake Town, Bangur, Kalindi and several other pockets of Dum Dum as the dumping ground at Promodenagar has been cordoned off to the civic authorities. On Monday, residents of the adjoining areas, under the banner of Sammilita Udbastu Unnayan Parishad (United Refugee Development Council) held a sit-in at the dumping ground, blocking entry of the disposal vans.
Four municipalities on the outskirts of Calcutta — Dum Dum, South Dum Dum, Baranagar and Rajarhat — are facing a similar problem over disposal of garbage, in the face of stiff resistance from local people, who alleged that the civic authorities were dumping the litter close to their doorsteps.
Baranagar Municipality chairperson Anuradha Roy said all garbage disposal vans were being sent back to the civic headquarters by Promodenagar residents. “They have no right to prevent us, because three other municipalities have been using the site for the past few years. I have decided to appeal to urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya,” Roy said. Baranagar produces about 100 tonnes of garbage a day, she added.
Dipak Bhattacharjee, Dum Dum civic chairman, said Promodenagar’s residents were justified in objecting to the dumping. “Four municipalities have been depositing garbage in the area for the past few years. The government has failed to honour its pledge to set up a sewerage treatment plant there,” he added.
South Dum Dum Municipality chairman Sreehir Bhattacharjee complained that the Calcutta Municipal Corporation had denied him permission to dump garbage at Dhapa. “Now, we have to find an alternative solution to the problem. There is no doubt that the people of Promodenagar are justified in protesting against garbage being dumped close to their residences,” he said.
Atin Roy, member, South Dum Dum chairman-in-council in charge of conservancy, said 80 lorries collect garbage daily from the municipality and dump it at Promodenagar. “Today, all our lorries were sent back. We will face a serious problem if the situation prevails,” he warned.
