Kupwara, Feb 5: Dumping of garbage along the roadside near Government Girls Higher Secondary School in main town Handwara has become a nuisance for the students and commuters.
The residents of the area said that unknown persons throw garbage near the school during evening hours every day thus affecting the movement of people.
They said that the presence of garbage has increased the stray dog population manifold in the area with the result students and locals fear to walk on the road which connects several villages including Salman Abad, Herpora, Banday Mohalla, Chowdhary Mohalla, Darshpora and others.
“We are unable to figure out why officials of Municipal Committee Handwara are not taking action against those involved in throwing garbage on the road side. We have two schools nearby including Government Girls Higher Secondary School and Government Boys Higher Secondary School where almost four thousand students are enrolled. These students often find it difficult to reach school due to the presence of dogs in the area,” a local of the area told Greater Kashmir.
People who come for morning walk at the playground of Government Boys Higher Secondary School Handwara also find it difficult to reach the venue due to the foul smell and presence of dogs. The residents said that they have brought this issue into the notice of concerned officials numerous times but to no avail.
Assistant Labour Commissioner Kupwara Arshid Ahmad who holds the additional charge of Executive Officer (EO) Municipal Committee Handwara told Greater Kashmir that strict action will be taken against those involved in throwing garbage on the road near Government Girls Higher Secondary School Handwara.
He said that MC Handwara has deputed garbage collection vehicle to every ward so people should take advantage of the facility and must not throw garbage on the roadside. “It happens to be our collective responsibility to keep our surroundings clean and I believe everyone has to play his role in doing so,” he added.
Meanwhile people from Umer Abad Khunbal ‘A’ also registered the same complaint. They said most of the hoteliers in old bus stand Handwara have been throwing garbage near the old building of post office Handwara resulting in enduring hardships to the local inhabitants.
“After MC Handwara officials failed to take actions against the accused, I managed to film two workers of a hotel who arrived the spot with buckets full of garbage, they piled up the garbage at the said spot to which I resented but they hurriedly left from there,” said Suhail Ahmad a local. They demanded stern action against those involved.
