Avneet Kaur Jalandhar, August 18 Commuters are a harried lot as the Industrial Area road leading to the Ram Nagar railway crossing has been turned into a dump yard while the remaining stretch is full of potholes. The rubbish on the road is not only an eyesore to the public but it also stinks, causing an inconvenience to residents of Ram Nagar and other localities. The residents allege that though the elected representatives have made numerous promises to shift the garbage dump, nothing concrete has been done in this regard. They say the dumping of garbage is being ignored by the local civic body and the area councillor for the past over six months. Charanjit Singh, a resident of the area, said, “We have urged the authorities concerned numerous times to shift the garbage dump. Garbage is thrown on the road, which causes problems for commuters while passing,” he said, adding that several small-scale industries and a factory were situated on the rear of the dump. A water treatment plant was situated just in front of it and workers fell ill due to poor sanitary conditions, he said. He further added that the authorities concerned had failed miserably to remove the dump in spite of having received a number of complaints. Another resident said, “The litter, which has covered a considerable portion of the road, emits a foul smell, making parents worried about the health of their children. Besides the garbage, the entire stretch is in a poor condition with lots of potholes on it. Stray dogs keep stuck to the dump site.” He said the condition of the road speaks the sorry state of the Smart City, Jalandhar, and commuters passing through it usually cover their faces to save themselves from the dust and the foul smell emanating from the garbage. Industrialists of the area allege that due to the negligence of the MC, the city has been crying for basic amenities like good roads, street lights and a clean environment. They ask the MC whether they can think of performing their tasks while sitting next to a garbage dump. They should realise people are suffering because they have failed to lift the garbage on time. Meanwhile, the residents have demanded the lifting of garbage at the earliest and have threatened to sit on a dharna if their grievances are not heard. Chief Sanitary Inspector Soni Gill said due to inclement weather conditions, the garbage was not lifted and as soon as weather conditions improved they would lift the garbage and clean the entire stretch. Industrialists of the area allege that due to the negligence of the Municipal Corporation (MC), the city has been crying for basic amenities such as good roads, street lights and a clean environment. They ask the MC whether they can think of performing their tasks while sitting next to a garbage dump. They should realise people are suffering because they have failed to lift the garbage on time. Garbage was not lifted due to inclement weather. As soon as weather conditions improve, they will lift the garbage and clean the entire stretch.

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