Anantnag, Sep 6: Lidder tributaries on the outskirts of Anantnag town are being choked by garbage after door-to-door waste collection by the Rural Development Department (RDD) remained stalled for more than three months.
Rani Road, Panditpora and Chee are among the worst-affected areas under RDD Anantnag Block.
Garbage has piled up along roadsides and vacant patches, with plastic, polythene, diapers and household waste finding their way into Lidder tributaries, water channels and drains.
At the New Qazibagh-Chee bridge, large heaps of garbage have accumulated along a Lidder tributary, attracting stray dogs and creating a foul smell.
“You can yourself see how much waste has accumulated right on the Lidder tributary,” said Riyaz Ahmad, a shopkeeper near the bridge.
He said part of the area falls under the Municipal Council Anantnag (MCA), while the stretch toward Rani Road and Panditpora comes under the RDD.
Across the bridge in Chee village, residents said streams linked to the Lidder have deteriorated sharply.
Streams once used for bathing and drinking are now foul-smelling, while encroachments have narrowed their flow.
“Three decades ago, we would bathe in this stream and even drink its water. Today, it is stinking,” said Muhammad Amin, 60, a Chee resident.
Amin alleged that the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has failed to protect streams originating from the Lidder, including by constructing proper embankments. “There is every likelihood of flooding if the water channels remain clogged”.
An RDD waste collection shed near the Lidder in Chee also remains unused, polluting it further residents said.
Garbage has accumulated around the facility and along the riverbank in the absence of regular collection.
Residents of Rani Road and Panditpora said the situation was a bit better when RDD vehicles collected household waste twice a week. Households paid Rs 50 a month for the service.
“We used to pay Rs 50 every month and the garbage was collected twice a week. The surroundings remained much cleaner at that time,” said Farooq Ahmad of Rani-road.
With the service disrupted, garbage has accumulated in water channels and drains.
“Garbage has blocked the water channels and the smell has become unbearable. There is every likelihood of diseases spreading if the situation continues,” Ahmad said.
Residents fear the blocked water channels and drains could restrict rainwater flow during heavy rainfall and cause localized waterlogging.
In Panditpora village, resident Muhammad Usman questioned the gap between official cleanliness campaigns and conditions in rural areas.
“Authorities regularly speak about cleanliness and the Swachh Bharat Mission, but villages are being left without a proper waste collection system. A permanent solution is needed instead of leaving people to deal with the garbage themselves,” he said.
Nisar Ahmad, a Chee resident, said the waste was spreading toward the river.
“The waste is not confined to one place. It is spreading toward the river and is affecting the surroundings. This can cause serious pollution if it is not removed,” he said.
Officials said several RDD garbage collection vehicles remain idle because the department lacks an authorized site to unload and dispose of collected waste.
The earlier dumping site at Donipawa was discontinued following objections from local residents, leaving the RDD without a designated alternative.
The Municipal Council Anantnag (MCA) has a solid waste management facility at Uranhall village, made operational only a few months ago, intended to recycle plastic and polythene and serve Anantnag, Bijbehara and Mattan towns and adjoining areas.
MCA Executive Officer (EO) Mirza Asif said the facility is not fully operational and cannot handle waste beyond its current capacity.
“It is not fully functional and can’t afford waste beyond certain capacity,” he said, adding that it could serve more areas once fully operational.
MCA officials said the garbage near the New Qazibagh-Chee bridge was coming from adjoining rural areas and that the matter would be looked into.
Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD) AnantnagShafiqWani said the collection problem would soon be addressed.
“We are soon tendering out the garbage collection for the entire district,” Wani said.
The problem has also spread to other adjoining villages, including Batengoo, Dialgam, Wanihama and Donipawa, as well as other villages around the town, where water channels are clogged and the surroundings stink.
Residents have urged the administration, RDD and Rural Sanitation Department to restore regular door-to-door collection and establish a permanent waste management system covering collection, transportation, segregation, recycling and scientific disposal.
They also called for regular monitoring of streams, water channels and adjoining areas to prevent indiscriminate dumping and protect the watercourses from further pollution.
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