Mounds of waste around Government Degree College at Levdora area of Qazigund is causing inconvenience to people, especially students.
The college was established in March 2019 with about 600 students on the roll. A fourth-semester student from the college told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that heaps of garbage are piled up near the wall of the college. “This has caused health issues for several students. We have been pleading to the concerned authorities to remove the garbage as a foul smell emanates from the site. But nothing is being done to get it removed,” the student said.
The student said they requested Block Development Officer (BDO) Qazigund to place bins outside the college and clear unattended garbage.
The locals claimed that the workers from Block Qazigund cleared the garbage in the area on Monday evening as a mere formality. “They came and clearly said that the Qazigund Block does not have funds for cleaning the area. Till they don’t place dustbins, there is no solution to this issue,” they said.
Speaking to KNO, Mohammad Maqbool Pala, a senior faculty at GDC Levdora (Qazigund) said that there is a lack of health and hygiene outside the college due to which students are suffering terribly.
He said they have taken up the issue with the concerned authorities several times, however, the Qazigund Block Development which is responsible for all the solid waste management in the area has failed to act. “Shopkeepers are earning livelihood outside college and they throw waste on the road in absence of bins,” he said.
According to him, another issue that is a cause of concern is dangling electric wires.
“We asked the Roads & Buildings (R&B) Department division Qazigund several times to prune or cut the trees but they are giving excuses,” he said.
Pala said another issue in the college premises is that a fountain was made at the entrance of college but dead leaves of chinar trees are blocking pipes and one the motor was also damaged.
“We have requested SDM Dooru and Tehsil Qazigund many times to do proper pruning of these two chinar trees or approve us to do it on our own but so far, we have received no proper response from them,” he said.
Block Development Officer (BDO) and Executive Engineer R&B, division Qazigund said they will look into issues—(KNO)