The residents of Gujjar Nagar are suffering due to the rat menace in the area.
Umar Latief of Gujjar Nagar Chowk said that the foundation of his three-storey residential house had started crumbling due to rat menace.
“The rats have dug big holes in the building, making the foundation weak. We tried everything to get rid of these rats, but their population is increasing. It is not confined to Gujjar Nagar as the entire old city is suffering due to this menace,” he said.
Latief said that the garbage dumps near his residence attract stray dogs, cattle, and rats.
“The roadside here has become a breeding ground for rats, cattle, and stray dogs and it is a menace for the locals, especially for those living in the vicinity,” he said.
Latief said that the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) had also installed a signboard asking residents to avoid dumping waste there but all in vain.
In absence of strict rules, the hoteliers and residents ignore these instructions and have made the area a dumping zone which may turn into a hazard one day.
“We are suffering because of rats as they have made big holes in the building. All the residents have the same story to share. In old houses constructed with mud, the rat menace is a major problem and they have weakened the walls and foundation,” another resident of the area said.