Poor garbage disposal a challenge in Bir-Billing

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, July 5

Lack of proper garbage disposal has emerged as a major problem in Bir-Billing, with plastic junk such as wrappers, and mineral water and liquor bottles being dumped into drains and rivulets. Bir-Billing is one of the major tourists destinations and known as a take-off point for paragliding in the world.

Despite a ban on the sale and use of plastic, heaps of chips packets and foil papers have become a common site in the area.

The Special Area Development Authority (SADA), constituted for the development of the tourist destination by the state government, seems to have become a mute spectator as plastic is being dumped into rivulets. Forest areas in the region have virtually turned into a dumping ground.

Residents say though the SADA collects green tax from tourists and fee from paragliding pilots in Bir-Billing, the money is not being utilised to carry out cleanliness work. They say the SADA has turned a blind eye to poor sanitation conditions.

Satish Abrol, president, Bir Hotel Association, said, “The association is carrying out door-to-door garbage collection for the past two years, but due to lack of support from residents and SADA, it finds itself helpless.”

He said the SADA should support hoteliers and come forward to enforce the rules strictly. The SADA, which was constituted for the development of the tourist destination, has not done anything in the past five years, turning Bir-Billing into a slum, Abrol said.

“At present, most of the drains are blocked with plastic waste and as a result, water accumulates on roads and streets. It becomes difficult to move outside due to a foul smell emanating from the dirty water. The SADA should immediately set up a garbage treatment plant and start collecting garbage from every house and commercial establishment. Illegal and unplanned construction should be stopped in Bir-Billing,” Abrol added.

Thousands of tourists visit Bir-Billing every day. In 2018, the NGT had issued orders to the state government to install a garbage treatment plant here, but nothing has been done in the past six years. Environmentalists attribute dumping of plastic in drains and rivulets to lethargic monitoring by officials.