Anantnag, Aug 24: Residents of Batangoo in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district have urged the authorities to immediately restore door-to-door garbage collection, claiming that the service has remained disrupted for the past two to three months.
Residents said that the prolonged absence of a regular waste collection mechanism has resulted in the accumulation of household garbage along roadsides, lanes, public pathways and other open spaces, creating unhygienic conditions and causing considerable inconvenience to people.
They said the situation has also led to a foul smell in several areas, while the accumulation of waste has attracted stray dogs and other animals, raising concerns about sanitation and public health.
A particularly worrying aspect of the situation, residents said, is the increasing use of a local canal as a dumping site. They alleged that some people have started throwing household garbage and plastic waste into the water channel in the absence of a regular collection system.
“The door-to-door collection service has not been functioning for the last two to three months. As a result, garbage is piling up in residential areas, and people are being forced to look for alternative ways to dispose of it,” a resident said.
Another resident said the canal, which should serve as a water channel, was gradually turning into a dumping ground.
“People are throwing polythene, plastic and household waste into the canal. This is not only damaging the surroundings but could also affect the flow and quality of water. The authorities need to intervene before the situation becomes worse,” the resident said.
Residents said the problem was particularly concerning in densely populated areas, where accumulated waste remains exposed for days and is vulnerable to being scattered by wind or animals.
“During summer, the smell becomes unbearable. Children and elderly people have to pass through these areas every day. We are not asking for anything extraordinary; we only want the basic waste collection service to function regularly,” another local said.
The residents appealed to people to refrain from dumping garbage into the canal and other public places, saying that civic responsibility and an efficient collection mechanism were both necessary to address the problem.
Residents of Batangoo said the situation on the ground required immediate attention and sought restoration of regular door-to-door collection in their areas.
They asked the concerned department and local administration to deploy waste collection vehicles immediately, clear the accumulated garbage from roads and public spaces, and ensure regular monitoring to prevent further pollution of the canal.
“We appeal to the authorities to treat this as an urgent public issue. The garbage should be lifted immediately, and a permanent collection schedule should be put in place so that the problem does not recur,” residents said.
They also called for strict action against indiscriminate dumping in the canal and other public places, along with awareness measures to encourage residents to follow proper waste disposal practices.
The residents said a clean and scientifically managed waste disposal system was essential for protecting the environment, maintaining public hygiene and preventing the spread of sanitation-related problems in the area—(KNO)
