Doonites want new municipal board to tackle garbage, parking & environmental issues
PNS | DEHRADUN
With the formation of the new board of the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) on Friday, residents expect that newly elected mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, along with the councillors, will prioritise key civic issues. Their main concerns include unregulated garbage dumping, inadequate parking spaces and the need for 100 per cent door-to-door garbage collection. Besides this, many citizens also expect the new board to take concrete steps toward protecting the city’s deteriorating rivers and forests.
A 26-year-old resident Sunil Baluni emphasised the need for proper waste segregation at the source during garbage collection. He stated, “Sanitation workers and garbage collection vehicles should be adequately equipped to handle segregated waste. While many households separate their waste before disposal, workers often mix everything together due to a lack of space or proper containers in their vehicles. This discourages people who make an effort to follow waste segregation guidelines.” Echoing similar concerns, a resident of Haridwar Road Priyanka Prajapati stated that ensuring 100 per cent door-to-door garbage collection will significantly reduce roadside dumping across the city.
Meanwhile, some senior citizens opined that MCD should also work beyond garbage and sanitation issues. A senior citizen Ashish Bhandari said that Dehradun has a prominent parking shortage. “Finding a parking space in Dehradun is a challenge, even in critical areas like the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) hospital. At times, even the MCD premises lack sufficient parking spots. Many of us are forced to park on the roadside, contributing to traffic congestion. The new municipal board must address this growing concern too,” he said.
A retired teacher Jeevan Bisht also talked about the importance of sustainable development, calling for urgent measures to revive polluted water bodies such as the Rispana River and to prevent dumping of garbage in the forest areas. “The condition of streams and forest areas is worsening with large amounts of garbage being dumped in these ecologically sensitive zones. The new municipal board must take proactive steps to restore these natural resources,” he said. The Dehradun residents hope that the newly elected municipal board will take decisive action to create a cleaner, more sustainable and well-managed city.
