Sirsa's open dumping points cause health hazards

The government has launched numerous cleanliness drives across the country, aimed at improving hygiene and waste management. However, sometimes small details are overlooked, leading to long-term problems. In Sirsa city, the Municipal Council has claimed to run cleanliness campaigns, but the situation on the ground reveals some issues. One of the major concerns is the location of waste dumping points. These points, meant for residents to dispose of household waste, have been placed in the heart of the city, raising questions about their appropriateness.

These dumping points, set up near key locations like the bus stand, have become a major source of pollution. Passengers using the bus stand are regularly exposed to the foul smell of the garbage. The waste not only creates an unpleasant odour but also attracts flies, mosquitoes and other pests, increasing the risk of diseases.

A local shopkeeper, Pawan Gaba, says that open garbage is a major health hazard, inviting pests that carry diseases. He adds that the foul air around these dumping points can weaken people's immunity and contribute to various illnesses.

Furthermore, the problem is worsened by stray animals that roam the city and spread garbage from these points all over the area. While the Municipal Council does collect the garbage every morning, the dumping points remain filled throughout the day as people continue to discard waste there. This cycle of continuous pollution is causing concern among citizens.

Environmental expert advocate Ramesh Goyal believes that the cleanliness drive should be taken seriously, but the authorities need to reconsider the location of these dumping points. He argues that placing them in busy areas where hundreds of people pass daily defeats the purpose of keeping the city clean. He suggests relocating these points to areas outside the city to prevent the spread of pollution in populated areas. Goyal also proposes that the waste collection trucks should directly dispose of the the garbage at designated landfill sites or the nearby waste processing plant in Bakrianwali.

Goyal further suggested that if the dumping points could not be removed quickly, gates should be installed in front of them, similar to those in Delhi, to prevent garbage and bad odour from spreading in the open.

District Municipal Commissioner Surender Beniwal said that these were secondary dumping points where garbage from the entire city was collected and then sent to the main plant in Bakrianwali by vehicles. Most of the time, these points were kept clean. Beniwal mentioned that these dumping points were covered on three sides, and if a gate could be installed on the front, they would study the possibility and, if feasible, the gates would be installed soon.