For KolhapurMunicipal Corporation locating a new garbage dumping site is turning out to bea huge headache.
The corporationis on the lookout for a vacant land outside the city but opposition fromneighbouring villages has slammed the brakes to find a solution to the problem.
Four yearsback, the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation had contracted to the Zoom company thejob of treating all city waste and to convert it into organic manure. Accordinglyland was handed over to Zoom at Halsavad for setting up of a treatment plant. Itwas decided that the company would treat 175 tons of garbage on dailybasis.
Zoom operatedfor two years during which time Kolhapur city was free from garbage. In June2011 work began at the treatment plant but was disrupted after a dispute arose betweenthe directors of the company.
Even as thecivic body is grappling with the problem mountains of garbage at Halsavad hasgiven rise to health risks in the area. Stray dogs too have begun to rummagethrough the accumulated waste.
Few years backa four year old girl was attacked by a stray at Halsavad. Subsequently she diedof the dog bite. After her death locals began to oppose dumping of garbage atthe site.
Recently asocial worker, Dilip Dessai approached the pollution board and requested it tocompletely stop dumping of garbage in the area. “Allowing Zoom Company to operatewas against the wishes of the locals, as dumping is causing health issues in area,”Dilip said.
“As per the direction of the pollution board wehave stopped dumping garbage since June 2011. Currently we are looking out for a new dumping place,” said VijaySingal, an engineer with Kolhapur Municipal Corporation.
Later whenthe Kolhapur Municipal Corporation decided to dump garbage in a valley at Tope villagepeople from the area objected. The corporation’s vehicle was blocked and officialswere warned if they continued to dump garbage the vehicle would be set onfire.
