Resentment brews in Kot-Bhalwal as govt unwilling to shift dumping site

JAMMU : Amid heavy deployment of police personnel, residents of various villages including Kot, Bhalwal, Raipur, Kalri, Kalagaon, Mishriwala, Assruan, Kangar Morh among other villages, today protested against the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) for dumping the city wastes in Kot Bhalwal Village.

Led by former panchayat representatives, hundreds of people today gathered at Kangri Morh and shouted slogans-“JMC Hai Hai”, “District Administration Hai Hai”, against the JMC and district administration. The protesters were also joined by the Team Jammu Chairman, Zorawar Singh Jamwal.
Former Sarpanch Rajdev Singh led a delegation of Bhalwal Village, KD Singh, the ex-Sarpanch Raipur led another delegation, while the Nardhani delegation was led by former Sarpanch of the Village, Bhushan Singh and Kot delegation was led by former Sarpanch Ashoki.

The agitating locals claimed that due to dumping of municipal wastes in Kot Bhalwal area, dozens of villages adjacent to around 1.5 kilometer dumping stretch are affected.

They said that foul smell that emanates out of the dumped wastes and hence the villagers are at greater risk of catching the vector-borne, air-borne and water-borne diseases.

The villagers also said that they have been opposing the move of government to dump the city wastes in Kot Bhalwal right from the date of inception in the year 2002.

“A deputation of the various villages that called on then Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand in the year 2011-12 was assured that the municipal wastes would not be dumped in Kot Bhalwal. A colony was proposed to be constructed at the dumping site. But the ruling government shelved the proposal,” they said.

The former Sarpanch of Bhalwal, Rajdev Singh said, “Heavy resentment is brimming against the PDP-BJP government and BJP leadership in particular as in their government fencing of the land in Kot Bhalwal to establish the garbage plant started.”

The villagers threatened to intensify their agitation and launch a massive dharna at Bantallab area tomorrow.

Pertinently, a memorandum was also submitted to the Chairman, Pollution Control Board, Jammu by a deputation of Jammu district on the same issue.