Dharamsala Ward Watch Dari: Rivulets choked with garbage; snarl-ups, unlit streets irk locals

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, April 13

Residents of Dari ward of the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation list the lack of cleanliness, throwing of garbage into rivulets, lack of streetlights and roadside parking as main civic problems in their area.

Naresh Sharma, a local, said Kangra district had been declared open defecation free (ODF) by the government, but some people in Ward 13 still defecate in the open. Despite complaints to the MC authorities, no action had been taken against such people, he added.

Sharma said even as the MC had put in place a door-to-door garbage collection system, some people still throw garbage into rivulets. “At many places, rivulets are choked with plastic waste and garbage. The MC authorities should penalise those dumping garbage into water channels,” he said.

Vicky Thapa, another resident of the area, said traffic jams on the Dari bypass road had become a nuisance for locals. “People park their vehicles along the narrow road, leading to snarl-ups every day,” he added.

He said in the Dari market, shopkeepers have encroached upon the road due to which the road width at some places had been reduced to less than 10 ft.

The MC authorities should check encroachments on the road and clear bottlenecks, he added.

Ravinder Thakur, another resident, said there were no streetlights in many areas of the Dari ward. “It is hard to negotiate narrow paths in many areas at night due to the lack of streetlights. Despite assurances from local leaders and MC authorities, streetlights have not been installed,” he said.

The residents alleged that their area failed to get any benefit of Rs 650-crore Smart City projects implemented in Dharamsala city in the last five years.

They rued the fact that no facilities had been added to the historic Dari ground. The ground is used by political parties to hold rallies and by the district administration for parking during ODIs and IPL matches.

Residents complained that no money was allotted for the ground under the Smart City project.

Many residents also complained of the lack of sewerage facility in their area.

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