PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) claims to have flagged roadside garbage dumping in various parts of the city as a growing sanitation concern, partly linking the issue to residents avoiding the Rs 70 monthly door-to-door waste collection user fee. Observers point out that due to factors including staff shortage, the MCD has not been able to enforce door to door garbage collection and the identification of some sites notorious for littering are just the tip of the iceberg.
Officials claimed that garbage collection vehicles are deployed across wards and visit most neighbourhoods twice a day. Despite this, garbage continues to be dumped at roadside points and vacant plots in some areas, creating foul smells and unhygienic conditions. Many households continue to dump garbage in the open instead of using the MCD facility, officials added. Awareness campaigns have been conducted across wards through pamphlet distribution and public announcements, encouraging residents to utilise the municipal collection system. However, compliance remains a challenge in various areas.
The reluctance to pay the nominal user charge is affecting sanitation efforts. Deputy municipal commissioner Tanvir Marwah said that the MCD has intensified monitoring and inspection drives in areas where repeated dumping has been reported. He said that fines will be imposed on those found disposing of waste in the open. CCTV cameras will be installed soon at selected locations to identify violators.
The issue comes at a time when the MCD is working to improve Dehradun’s ranking in the upcoming Swachh Survekshan 2026.
