The once clean and green Dehradun is now marked by garbage dumped in the open in various localities. Garbage dumps in different areas including in Premnagar are increasing in number because the people themselves dump garbage improperly. Officials State that lack of civic sense among the residents of Dehradun is a major factor responsible for the deteriorating level of sanitation in the State capital but the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun is doing little to raise the level of civic sense or ensure proper dumping of garbage apart from issuing challans to people.
Premnagar resident Sarita Dobhal said, “The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun is responsible not only for placing the garbage containers but also for emptying these on time. The people cant be blamed for throwing the garbage outside the municipal waste container here as it is often overflowing,” she said.
Dehradun native army man Rahul Pradhan said that he is now posted in Chandigarh which is neater than Dehradun as the municipal authorities and people cooperate for maintaining civic sanitation. “The people there value their city and they know how to keep their surroundings clean. However, here in Dehradun at the Indira Colony where I live, the people throw garbage on the roadside and in other public places which is one of the major reasons for the deteriorating sanitation level. Instead of simply using slogans like ‘green Doon clean Doon’, the people need to change their mindset and should ensure that they keep their own surroundings clean first,” he said.
Senior city health officer at the MCD Dr RK Singh said that the MCD issues challans to people dumping garbage improperly and sends them to court which decides the amount of penalty to be charged. However, he did not not say if the corporation is taking any measures to raise public awareness on sanitation issues and regulations.