Srinagar, July 3:  Accusing the police to failing to provide “adequate protection” in ferrying of garbage laden trucks to the Achan dumping yard, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation on Saturday suspended the garbage lifting operations in the summer capital as around 30 loaded trucks were dumped at Transport Yard Batamaloo.
 For the past few days, the SMC had been claiming to have kept some of the Civil Lines areas, mostly the VIP zones clean by lifting of the garbage. These included Nishat Road, Gpkar and the Airport Road.
 But on Saturday, the sources said, following a dispute between the civic body and the police, the sanitation operations were suspended.
 A senior SMC official pleading anonymity said: “The police isn’t willing to provide security cover to our trucks between the under curfew Achan-Aali Masjid stretch. Given the recent attacks on our vehicles during clashes, we can’t put our life and property to risk.” 
 He said as many as 30 trucks had lifted garbage from civil lines area of the City.
 “But as the police failed to provide adequate security, our drivers declined to ferry trash to the dumping yard,” he added.
 Finally, he said, the truckloads carrying some 150 metric tons of garbage were parked at the Batamaloo yard.
 But the police, refutes the SMC allegations.
 “Basically, like many other government employees, they don’t want to work during curfew and so they are making lame excuses,” said a senior official in the City police adding the SMC was already being provided “adequate security.”
 “Leave apart the prevailing situation, the SMC convey gets special police cover to Achan dump,” he said.
 He, however, said if SMC officials have “some genuine complaint”, they should contact the SP north City or the concerned SDPO.
 “The duo is always there to redress their grievances,” the police official added.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 3 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 3 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 4 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST