Bhopal: The new location chosen by Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) for landfill site has left villagers in the area fuming. The dust carried with the waste has caused air pollution, which is causing breathing problems.
According to environmentalist Subash C Pandey, the proposed landfill site has been developed against norms of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, as the waste is dumped in open. He said that if someone torches the waste kept in open, the smoke it will generate will harm human population and cattle living around it. Free Press talked to a section of villagers in the area to know their reaction. Excerpts
Bhikham Singh whose house’s front portion was bulldozed for making way for vehicles to the site: “Government says it will compensate for the loss. Government officials are also asking us to move elsewhere but why should we suffer as they could have chosen some other way to reach the place. Intially, we were told that the way for carrying the garbage and waste will be from some other route. We were told that this route will only be used by municipal officials to reach the site.”
Shanta Bai: “Dust raised by moving of municipal vehicles in the area is causing health problems. It is also affecting our cattle. Dust enters our houses, which is why we protested against the project a day back.”
Anita Chowksey: “Ever since the project has started, it has become difficult for us to sit out of the house. The village road is not built with cement concrete. It gets very dusty. There is dust all around. It is causing breathing and respiratory problems.”
Rajat Chowksey: “We will oppose the project as it is a threat to our existence. The way vehicles are creating air pollution is making life difficult. How can one think of living here?”
District collector Sudam Khade: “We are making alternative arrangements so that the villagers do not feel the pain. We will give proper compensation to owners of houses, which fall on route of the site and need to be removed.”
