Indu Raina
The legend goes that once the great king, Jambu Lochan was passing by the side of river Tawi when he found a tiger and a goat drinking water together from the river and he decided to establish a city over there. It is thus we inherited the place, now called Jammu.
Jammu is, infact, the most peaceful and also a very comfortable place to live in.Besides, every year, it is visited by millions of tourists from all over India and abroad who pass through the city on way to MATA VAISHNO DEVI SHRINE. It is thus imperative to keep the city clean and make it attractive. But on the contrary, one finds heaps of garbage dumped almost in all open nallas, vacant plots , secluded corners on road sides. During rains garbage and sewage flow freely, creating breeding ground for water and air borne disease germs.
Generally, the practice is that the residents fill polythene bags with household refuse and place them on either inside or out side their gates . On certain week days the safai karamcaries collect these bags in their small hand driven carts . They litter a lot on way while dumping it in open nallas, vacant plots or in the uncovered and overloaded municipal vans placed somewhere near the mohalla. It is a scene to watch the sorry state of affairs at this awesome site. These uncovered and dirty vans are swarmed by thousands of flies and insects polluting the whole environment. Besides emitting foul smell, these vans often attract street dogs and even cows, buffaloes,let loose by their caretakers after milching them in dairy farms to have their fill freely. It is really very sad to find these dumb, unfed animals snatching rotten food along with polythene from each Other’s mouth. Imagine the effect of such unhygenic food consumed by the animals whose milk is used by us all.
I venture to place my humble suggestion before the concerned authorities as well as the common people
Firstly, Let each mohalla be provided with a COVERED and Wheeled uniform type big dustbin to be placed at convenient place for each mohalla, against compulsory and reasonable payment for storing the garbage . Days may be fixed for each mohalla for picking of garbage by the municipal karamcharees. It may be collected in COVERED trucks or vans and straightway be carried far away from residential areas to the places already allocated for the waste disposal where whole garbage of the city may be utilized in a purposeful manner; like converting it into bio-gas and organic manure. Secondly , let the house holders also dig pits in their kitchen garden for composting biodegradable waste on voluntary basis. whereas the compost can serve as the best manure for kitchen gardens besides lessening the volume of such disposable waste. Thirdly, recycling is the key component in waste management and is also economically beneficial. Let us realize its value and importance. Recycling material be segregated from non-recyclable items by the house holders.
Last, but not least, an awakening be generated in the minds of common people to help the government in tackling the menace of this giagantic problem. In short the steps should be taken from the grass root level. Enthusiasm of the residents along with the sincere and dedicated effort of the staff of the municipal corporation is essential if our city has to wear a beautiful look.
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