Insanitation, parking main problems
Govind Sharma
JAMMU: Ensuring cleanliness and sanitation is the biggest challenge before Gopal Gupta, Corporator of Ward No 5 of Jammu Municipal Corporation, due to presence of many hotels in the area which generate huge waste daily.
Heaps of garbage, stagnant water and blocked drains in every part of the Ward which comprised of Rajinder Bazaar, Lakhdatta Bazaar, Talab Khatikan, Dalpatian Mohalla, Baba Jiven Shah Mohalla and areas of Shahidi Chowk tell a tale of neglect and indifferent attitude of the authorities and residents, who litter the waste on roads and street corners mindlessly.
Nisar Ahmed, a resident of Shahidi Chowk, said that due to presence of many eatries, restaurants and hotels in this area, huge solid waste is generated on daily basis but there is no regular removal of this waste due to shortage of manpower in JMC.
“The main dumping centre for waste on Circular Road near DC office portrays a pathetic picture. The stray animals keep scavenging on the waste which gives such a foul smell that one cannot stand there even for two minutes”, Naresh Kumar, who lives near DC office said and asked,” is this Swachh Jammu Abhiyaan”?
Ashok Kumar of Lakhdatta Bazaar said that as there is no garbage collection bin in any part of the Ward and people dump their daily trash at a common site on roadside. Some people of the area including shopkeepers also throw the solid waste into the drains itself due to which drains get blocked and dirty water flows on the roads and streets.
“Absence of a public parking is also a main issue in this Ward”, Rajesh Sharma of Rajinder Bazaar and Rishabh of Lakhdatta Bazaar said, adding in the absence of a dedicated parking place, inhabitants and visitors are compelled to park their vehicles on road sides and in the streets which create traffic jams.
Rajan Sharma of Talab Khatikan said, “Though water supply is not a major issue in our ward but in some areas like Lakhdatta Bazaar, Talab Khatikan and Dalpatian Mohalla, people are facing this issue to some extent. However, in monsoon season, not only this Ward but the whole old city reels under severe water shortage due to the reasons best known to the concerned authorities”.
Neha Kumari, Sumit Sharma and Mohd Younis–some youngsters belonging to different areas of the Ward, said that there used to be a public library near DC office but it was closed down some years back due to the reasons best known to the authorities. They hoped that their Corporator will take the initiative to reopen the library in the interest of the public, particularly young generation.
Talking to the Excelsior, Corporator Gopal Gupta of the BJP said that providing clean and good sanitary conditions to the public is the biggest challenge before him and he will make every effort to overcome this challenge with the support of MLA and people.
Gupta said other issues like water and power supply are minor. “However, non-availability of public parking is a big issue and I will try my best to find a solution to this problem as early as possible”, he added. “I am aware of the issue of public library and efforts will be made to reopen the same”, he further said.
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