Sopore traders threaten strike as town turns into garbage dump

Excelsior Correspondent

A view of famous apple town Sopore changed into garbage dump. —Excelsior/ Aabid Nabi

SRINAGAR, July 11: As the Sopore Municipal Corporation (SMC) fails to lift garbage and other waste from the town, Sopore
Sopore Traders Federation (STF) has threatened to go for indefinite strike and stop paying Trade Tax in case SMC fails to lift garbage.
The STF President, Haji M Ashraf Ganie said that huge heaps of garbage including bio-medical waste generated from hospitals is  lying in streets due to casual attitude of SMC officials and their inability to clean the streets on daily basis, has posed a threat to  the-health of residents of Sopore.
Ganie said that it is not only the solid waste but the foul smell emanating from garbage dumps lying everywhere that gives an  unpleasant experience to commuters and posed a threat for the outbreak of diseases.
“Apple town of Sopore alone generates at an average over 30-35 tons of solid waste every day. The Sopore Municipal  Corporation’s inaction over lifting garbage from various parts of the city is posing a major health threat to residents of various  localities here,” said Ganie.
Ganie said that the SMC has not enough sweepers who can collect and dispose of garbage and those who are on rolls of the SMC are not performing their duties.
Residents also said the shopkeepers were major contributors of garbage as most of them dump their solid waste on the roadsides.