Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Feb 17: Despite various schemes and programmes undertaken to sanitize public places, the Udhampur town seems remaining un-cleaned emitting foul smell and making it difficult for the passersby.
Heaps of garbage can be seen accumulated in most of the public places and parks, including Bhagat Singh park, which is situated in heart of the city. Piles of dirt can be seen everywhere while drains are full of garbage.
According to the locals and morning walkers, they are forced to cover their mouth and markets await sanitization thus creating immense inconvenience for the commoners and visitors in the town.
Citing examples, locals alleged that garbage dumps could be seen littered across the whole Udhampur city and open garbage dumping station in front of DC office left and right side and near Pandav Temple, Ramnagar Chowk, Salian Talab mini bus stand, in front of District Hospital, main bazar, near ITI and other visible places centrally located in the town.
President of Book Sellers Association Udhampur, Arun Kumar Gupta told the Excelsior that when people walk along the footpath or even drive their vehicles they have to pass through an odd experience as foul smell emitting from the garbage dumps makes it worse for them. “As Udhampur Municipal and district administration have failed to keep the city clean, I appeal to the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to take the issue with the concerned department and direct them to change dumping sites from the whole city in order to save the residents of the city from the spread of disease,” he added.
“People are prone to some dangerous diseases including respiratory diseases due to the dirty environment,” locals said while alleging that the Municipal Committee Udhampur has failed to get the garbage lifted from these points on a regular basis.
Garbage dumping stations have been created near Udhampur Meat Market, near the DC office, near the district Hospital and the mini bus stand, Salian Talab.
Shopkeepers have been demanding shifting of these dumping stations for the last many months, but neither the Municipal Council not the District Administration Udhampur takes cognizance of the same.