Garbage near Vikas Puri canal may invite NGT wrath

While the country is in a mood of cleanliness, thanks to <g data-gr-id="32">Swachh</g> Bharat <g data-gr-id="33">Abhiyaan</g>, and the National Green Tribunal has issued orders against the burning of waste in the open, garbage continued to be burnt in the open after a canal was partially de-silted in Vikas Puri about 20 days ago.

The waste of a semi-<g data-gr-id="34">desilted</g> canal lay unattended for about 20 days which not only ruined the landscape of the area but was also a potential threat to the environment. A local group which have voluntarily taken up the initiative of keeping up with the cleanliness of the area notified the authorities about the issue. On seeing inaction, the group later, reportedly, talked to the contractor who had been assigned with the work of <g data-gr-id="35">desilting</g> the canal. However, the contractor allegedly gave a cold shoulder to the matter.

On Sunday, as Vikas Saini, convenor of the local group, and also a resident of the area, was passing by the <g data-gr-id="26">desilted</g> garbage dump, it came to his notice that someone had set fire to the dump which resulted in a lot of toxic smokes being emitted. He immediately informed the police and later the fire engines were called to douse the flames.

Saini, on talking to Millennium Post, alleged that the police are not taking up any action against the designated contractor.

He further said, “I had to call the police thrice only after which they reached the spot.” 

The half-burnt pile of dump still lies unattended by the canal as no authority has taken up the initiative to get it removed. The <g data-gr-id="28">desilted</g> dump contains a lot of plastic products which are said to be non-biodegradable and can bear serious environmental implications. Several other piles of dump lie on both sides of the canal whose fate seems to be the same, unattended.