Mounds of garbage have piled up indifferent areas which fall under jurisdiction of Badamibagh cantonment here,forcing locals to stage protests.
The overflowing dustbinshave created unhygienic environment, posing risk to health of locals.
According to locals forthe past 46 days there has been no collection and shifting of garbage from theareas.
Thecantonment authorities said that they have presently no garbage dumping site toremove the stinking garbage.
On theother hand, the affected areas like Shivpora, Sonwar, Indra Nagar, Batwara andAthwajan have turned into garbage dump with heaps of waste lying scattered, notonly in residential areas but also in front of many schools and on roads andstreets.
“This has made people,particularly children vulnerable to infectious diseases,” said Muhammad Abbas,a local at Shvipora.
On Wednesday locals stagedprotest demonstrations at main gate of Cantonment. They also blocked main roadto register their protest.
“The authorities are issuing verbal assurances from past onemonth. However, the garbage is lying scattered and we are suffering,” said theprotestors.
UpendraKumar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Badamibagh Cantonment Board said that theyhave written to divisional administration about non-availability of dumpingsite.
“Wewere in possession of 197 kanal defence land in Panthachowk which was used asgarbage dumping ground. On the directions of High Court, we gave up the landand were provided an alternative land of 55 kanal at village Lethpora asgarbage dumping site,” he said.
Headded that from 12 March this year authorities at JK Police Commando TrainingCentre situated at Lethpora didn’t allow Board to dump the garbage at thissite.
Amidthe crisis, divisional administration decided that SMC dumping site will beused for few days by Board till the alternative site is identified and allottedto Board.
“In awritten communication, we have requested divisional administration to eitherallot suitable temporary garbage dumping site by considering security point ofview on immediate basis or arrange lifting of garbage from entire Board areaimmediately,” said Kumar.
Headmitted that collection of garbage has been stopped due to non availability ofsuitable dumping site.
“Wehave requested authorities to ask SMC to lift and dump the garbage tillalternative site is allotted to us,” he said.