Locals blame EBM for garbage problem

MALDA, 30 JULY: The CPI-M led Opposition councillors of the English Bazaar Municipality (EBM) and the LF supporters today staged an agitation in front of the EBM, demanding the clearance of garbage dumped across Malda town that is now raising a stink.

The EBM was facing difficulties in disposing of the garbage, following an agitation in two places where the EBM used to dump the waste.

Since Monday, local residents of Kotwali gram panchayat areas, having formed a ‘Paribesh Dushan Protirodh Committee’, have been preventing the EBM from dumping garbage in the new area located at Nimasari.

Following the resistance of another public committee at Chandan Park in Ward no 25, the EBM is in no position to dump garbage in the old place. Submitting a deputation to the vice-chairman of the EBM, the LF councillors and leaders demanded that the EBM clear the garbage dumped at various places in English Bazaar town within 72 hours.

The vice-chairman of the EBM Mr Dulal Sarkar said that they have already started clearing garbage from this town after selecting a place in Ward no 22 as a temporary spot.

Though the EBM took the initiative to implement a Solid Waste Management project and bought nearly three acre land at Nimasari under Kotwali gram panchayat in English Bazaar for the dumping of garbage, it has been obstructed due to villagers’ resistance.

The English Bazaar Congress MLA Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, the former chairman of the EBM, alleged that the CPI-M leaders are making the issue political, resisting garbage dumping in two places selected by the EBM.

“The CPI-M men are staging an agitation demanding the clearance of the garbage from this town to malign the Congress-led EBM,” said Mr Choudhury.

“The pradhan of the Kotwali panchayat is a Congress man. The leader of the committee at Nimasarai is also a Congress leader. How is the CPI-M resisting dumping garbage at Nimasarai?” said the Opposition leader of the EBM Mr Dulal Nandan Chaki.

Mr Chaki was also another member of the committee resisting the garbage dumping at Chandan Park in Ward no 25. “We would not allow the EBM to dump garbage at Chandan Park,” said Mr Chaki, councillor of Ward no 25. ;SNS