Latest news with #DehradunMunicipalCorporation
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Kargi residents grapple with garbage overflow despite new transfer station
1 2 Dehradun: Despite a new mechanised waste transfer station at Dehradun's Kargi – built at a cost of Rs 8 crore to streamline waste processing and provide relief from waste accumulation issues – residents of the area continue to face severe civic problems as garbage is routinely dumped on the main road. Notably, trials at the automated transfer station were held in April and officials say transition to the fully mechanised system is happening gradually. Locals allege that vehicles of the municipal corporation, meant to collect and transport waste to the station, are unloading it in the open, outside the facility's designated boundary. "How can civic issues be addressed if waste is being openly dumped by corporation vehicles themselves? Vehicles remain lined up haphazardly as far as the eye can see," said Lave Chaudhary, a resident. Passersby and commuters on the Haridwar bypass road have also shared concerns about the management around the transfer station. "A month or two ago, garbage across the station spilled onto the main road. It was cleared for a few days, but waste has reappeared again. The road has become difficult to navigate, while the air remains foul several hundred metres away, not to mention stray animals rummaging through waste," said a passerby. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Didn't Anyone Tell You About This Power Saver? elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Pre-Order Undo The Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) had previously issued a notice in April to the collection agency responsible for dumping waste on the other side of the station and asked them to clear it up. Officials claim that most of it was moved into the station, contrary to claims of local residents. Chief health officer, Avinash Khanna, attributed the recent lapses to personnel shortage over the festival weekend. "Fresh dumping may have occurred over the weekend in an unauthorised manner. There was also a shortage in manpower due to it being Eid, but we will definitely look into it. Operations have become smoother compared to earlier," he said. Khanna added that a request for CCTV surveillance has already been raised along with plans on gating the area so that any illegal waste accumulation is avoided. Currently, Dehradun generates over 450 metric tonnes of waste daily that first goes to the Kargi transfer station and then to Sheeshambara trenching ground.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Clock Tower stops ticking again; original patron's kin raise concern
Dehradun: The iconic Clock Tower in Dehradun—one of the city's oldest landmarks—has stopped functioning once again amid ongoing beautification work. For the family that originally commissioned the structure in the 1940s, the sight of malfunctioning clocks and repeated alterations is disheartening. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The maintenance work led to the clocks stopping several weeks ago. Spot visits this week revealed inconsistent functioning—while five of the tower's six clocks showed the correct time on Thursday evening, one remained out of sync. "The state to which this iconic landmark has been reduced is disappointing and disheartening," said Vijay Singh, grandson of Lala Balbir Singh, in whose memory the structure was commissioned. Completed in 1953, the tower stands at one of Dehradun's busiest intersections. It was commissioned by Lala Sher Singh, a prominent landlord, in memory of his father, at a cost of nearly ₹1.5 lakh. Originally, six clocks were imported from Switzerland, contributing to its rare hexagonal design. The structure also bears the names of freedom fighters, adding to its historical significance. Over time, however, the original Swiss clocks were replaced—though authorities are unaware of when or how the change occurred. "Sometimes we regret handing the tower over to the city council. This was a historic landmark; it still is. It meant so much to our family and the whole city. Now it has become a prop that undergoes a facelift every few months, it seems. Authorities should be focused on maintaining the existing structure. Instead, they keep revamping the whole thing, adding new embellishments that don't last long," Singh told TOI. The family also said they only learn about changes through news reports. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "We are never informed or involved in this process. Not even historians are. Authorities keep experimenting with this iconic landmark. At the time of its commission, it created history for its hexagonal structure. Now it is being lost," he added. In Sept last year, the tower fell silent for two days after unidentified individuals stole its wiring. In Dec, it suffered further damage when a truck rammed into its boundary wall. Over the years, TOI has reported multiple such incidents that have left the landmark defaced. Authorities have stated that the current restoration will offer long-term protection, with a double boundary to prevent vehicle collisions and a green belt around the main structure. While the Dehradun Municipal Corporation has jurisdiction over the tower, the ongoing beautification is being executed by Dehradun Smart City Limited.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
DMC begins yet another plastic-free drive as Doon mkts flood with single-use plastic
Dehradun: Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) from Wednesday onwards began yet another plastic-free campaign in the capital, named Plastic Free Doon , aimed at eradicating single-use plastic and creating mass awareness about the use of prohibited despite several such campaigns, single-use plastic continues to be used rampantly across the city. India banned the manufacturing, import, distribution, sale, and usage of single-use plastic up to 100 microns from July 1, 2022. Despite these regulations, the use of prohibited products remains widespread in the city. Initially, strict enforcement by the DMC led to adherence to the regulations, but violations allegedly increased over often claim that the lack of action against violations bolsters them to continue using these bags. "In the past, when we refrained from using polythene bags, we lost customers. If all shopkeepers stop using it, then we have no issues, but if just a few of us stop, our regular customers go elsewhere," said a dairy owner, requesting anonymity, on Rajpur issue is well known to authorities who admitted that the products remain in circulation. "Through this campaign, we will not only start implementing the ban but also penalise the violators as we did in the past. We will do so even more regularly now. Another part of the campaign would be to create mass awareness amongst the public to prevent them from using these products," said DMC health officer, Dr Avinash is also working on a four-bin policy aimed at source segregation , which would greatly help with plastic waste management, claim a member of Dehradun Citizens' Forum, Radha, said that none of these campaigns will create a lasting effect unless the implementation is greatly strengthened. "We spoke to authorities earlier about preventing these polythene bags from entering Dehradun and the manufacture of plastic granules. All departments have to act collectively against this menace. Violators have to be penalised and made examples of, while public awareness also needs to be increased exponentially," she have been calling for source segregation for a while and also urging DMC to strengthen the door-to-door collection system that will help address the menace of public dumping of garbage and issues contributing to the use of single-use plastic.
