As if other issues were not enough, the residents across Dwarka these days are facing a new one- dry leaves!
The sub-city, as we all know, is already battling with several civic-related issues and now this issue related to the accumulation and management of dry leaves is annoying the locals living in the area.
Besides, the civic agencies concerned too, are finding it difficult to segregate and dispose them. The least they could manage to do is to direct their workers to clear the area by sweeping and throw such leaves in the garbage dumping spots, dhalao or on footpaths or roadsides. But all in vain! These dry leaves after sometime get scattered all over in the vicinity .
Adding to this, such leaves get burnt due to lack of proper management and under the pressure of civic bodies like Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to show that the agencies concerned are taking action following people's complaints!
R K Singh, a nature lover from Shubham Apartments (Sector 12) said, “It is a complete failure on the part of the SDMC. They do not seem to be bothered about the issue and as a result, the situation is becoming worse with each passing year.”
When City Spidey spoke to some of the officials of these civic agencies to know more about the issue, they said that such activities are against the set norms but they are compelled to do so.
One of the workers said on the condition of anonymity, "We clear the area and dump these dry leaves at one spot so that the corporation vehicle could pick them up. But it should be done immediately after sweeping. Generally it gets scattered everywhere if left there for hours. In such a scenario, anybody crossing that area would feel that we are not doing our work properly.”
Ramesh Mumukshu, an RTI activist from Dwarka stated, “One could see heaps of dry leaves lying at different spots across the area. No civic authorities concerned are taking this issue seriously. These are being burnt across the sub-city everyday. This is a clear violation of NGT orders.”
Locals alleged they have seen Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) workers themselves carrying out such activities. They have blamed DDA too for not managing horticulture waste. Besides, the compost pits in the parks get usually set on fire. Surprisingly, this happens only when they get filled up with dry leaves. So DDA claims it as an act of some unknown people or group and not them!
Residents across Dwarka are of the view that this is a total failure on the part of civic agencies concerned and stated that it is their responsibility to come up with a permanent solution for this issue.
"Just visit the area and you would observe that heaps of dry leaves are lying almost everywhere. I mean, the state is such that fire-related mishaps, say through lighting a cigarette, can occur at any given moment! Also, it will create pollution and can adversely affect the environment. The SDMC should take a serious note of it and work towards it as soon as possible."
