The garbage dump on the National Highway at Uttarkashi Road where most of the solid waste from the town is disposed of, has the possibility to become the source of communicable diseases. In spite of the fact that tourists arrive here all the year round, nothing has been done to solve the problem permanently.
People have been demanding removal of the garbage dump for years now, but no concrete action has been taken in this regard till now. When the sun comes out after the rains the decomposing mass releases an enormous stink that is unbearable for the locals and the passers-by alike. Already, conjunctivitis and other diseases are catching hold of the area. As the dump is located on the National Highway even people from other places are being affected. Hundreds of school children commute from here and they are getting exposed to potential afflictions.
Owing to the poor quality of the waste management in the town, garbage has become on overwhelming presence everywhere. There are piles of garbage to be found at various sites on Rishikesh Road and Mussoorie Road also. The garbage attracts hordes of monkeys, who have become a serious menace.Even as Chamba is being sought to be developed as a tourist destination, the garbage tells another story, irretrievably damaging its image. The dumping of garbage by the Highway has also increased chances of landslides.
Social activists Darshan lal Saklani, Sanjay Kumar and many people have warned that if the problem is not solved soon they would be constrained to launch a major agitation. The executive officer of the Nagar Panchayat Chamba stated that a plot of land has been demanded from the Forest Department for a trenching ground.