GURUGRAM: DLF 1 residents and green activists, on Wednesday, wrote to Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, complaining of illegal dumping of animal carcasses in the Aravalis near Sikanderpur Ghosi.“We had a long meeting with MCG officials on Wednesday. We’ve also written to the chief minister, as this is a big threat to the health of residents, and needs urgent attention,” said R S Rathee, MCG councillor of the area.TOI visited the spot and spotted over 60 carcasses of buffaloes, cows, pigs and dogs lying in the open. Apparently, this illegal dumping has been continuing for the past two years in the area, spread over five acres, which has a natural water body with a lot of birds nesting around it. At least 15 carcasses are dumped every day at the site, which is close to GURUGRAM-Faridabad road and can be reached via a kuchha (non-motorable) road. Reportedly, these are carcasses of animals that either die naturally or in road accidents.Looking for a quick fix, the corporation on Wednesday sent a few earth movers to bury the carcasses, after a social media uproar led to media spotlight on the issue.An MCG official said, “We’ve told the sanitation contractor to bury carcasses. We are examining the possibility of using bio-culture to cont-rol the stench and facilitate quick decomposition of the carcasses.”While residents alleged stench from the illegally dumped carcasses fouls the air of the entire area, greens expressed concern over ill-effects of the dumping on flora and fauna of the Aravalis. Ravinder Yadav, resident of Block G, DLF 1, who has pursued the issue with authorities for the past two years, told TOI, “This has been going on for years. Whenever we file a report, MCG sends some officials and the contractor stops the activity for a few days. But it starts again. We’re forced to live with the stench and the health threat.”Activists said this is also a major threat to the flora and fauna of the Aravalis. “The area has rich wildlife, including birds. Not only are residents’ health at stake, many animals can die drinking contaminated water from the pond or feeding on dead carcasses,” said Vaishali Chandra Rana, a resident of GURUGRAM-Faridabad road.The norms say the corporation should have an incinerator to dispose of animal carcasses. But the corporation’s plan of setting up a CNG-fuelled incinerator in DLF 3 has been hanging fire for years. Shivani Sharma, an animal activist, said, “States that don’t have incinerators allot a designated spot to bury carcasses. There is no way a contractor or authorities can leave carcasses out in the open, as it pollutes the air, water and soil.”MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav couldn’t be reached for his comment.

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