By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 27 Oct: The issue of waste disposal has once again become a major challenge for the Mussoorie Municipal Council. Distressed by the accumulation of garbage at the dumping station near the IDH—and the resulting foul odour—local residents, led by Councillor Babita Mall, staged a protest at the main gate of the Municipal Council.
Residents allege that the mounting filth has made living in the area difficult, and it is also affecting those visiting the sub-district hospital. The Councillor has warned that, if the waste is not removed promptly, she will begin an indefinite sit-in protest.
Councillor Babita Mall stated that more than 40 families reside in the area and have long been grappling with the problems caused by the garbage and the stench. She alleged that complaints were raised multiple times with the Municipal Council’s Executive Officer, yet the issue remains unresolved. Left with no other choice, the residents decided to protest. She added that the pile of trash is causing distress not only to local residents but also to passers-by.
Social activists Gaurav Gupta and Naren Pratap Mall, along with Councillor Sachin Guher—who also participated in the protest—questioned the functioning of the Municipal Council. They alleged that officials and staff show little seriousness in addressing public grievances. Furthermore, they noted that, because the Municipal Council is effectively being managed from Dehradun, local residents are forced to suffer. They emphasized that the public elects representatives to resolve their problems, and therefore, the neglect of issues concerning the public interest will not be tolerated. They stated that the municipal administration is failing to provide information even when requested under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, and that large-scale corruption is taking place. If the municipal administration does not take prompt action regarding the issues raised, they would be compelled to launch a protest against the administration.
Municipal Chairperson Meera Saklani, describing the councillor’s protest as a sign of awareness regarding public concerns, acknowledged that the issue of accumulated waste has come to her attention. According to her, a tender for waste removal was issued on October 24, and she expects the waste to be cleared from the area within a week. She explained that a biomethanation plant had been established during the tenure of the previous municipal board, but it ceased operations after some time. Efforts are now underway at the government level to restart the plant, which would facilitate the permanent disposal of waste. She further alleged that there were serious shortcomings in waste management in the past, the consequences of which the city is now forced to bear.
The Municipal Chairperson remarked that some individuals are politicizing this issue, whereas the municipality’s primary objective is to resolve the city’s problems. She stated clearly that any interference in municipal affairs by the spouses of elected representatives will not be tolerated under any circumstances. She emphasized that the public has elected their representatives, and those representatives must fulfill their responsibilities themselves. She added that the process for waste removal had already been initiated, and a work order was issued on October 24 to the company tasked with clearing the waste. Meanwhile, local residents are demanding the immediate removal of the waste piles to provide relief from the filth and foul odour.
