Rani Khera residents say won’t allow garbage dumping in village
The residents of Rani Khera and adjoining villages have decided not to allow dumping of waste in their neighbourhood.
The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) had decided to dump waste at Rani Khera after L-G Anil Baijal had ordered that all dumping at Ghazipur must stop immediately.
On Friday, two people died after tonnes of garbage came hurtling down on an adjacent canal.
Several residents of Mundka, Mubarakpur, Rasoolpur, and Madanpur, including Rani Khera, gathered in protest Sunday afternoon when they came to know about garbage trucks reaching Rani Khera village.
They blocked traffic at Rohtak Road near Mundka Metro Station and deflated tyres of the vehicles carrying waste, which caused traffic snarls in the area.
Following the protest by the locals, North Delhi mayor Preeti Aggarwal, leader of the House and Rani Khera councillor Jayendra Dabas, and standing committee chairman Tilak Raj Kataria met the L-G to discuss the issue.
“Their issues are just. We met the L-G today to seek a solution. He assured us this is a temporary arrangement for a week till some permanent solution is found. I am going to the village and will try to convince the protesters,” Aggarwal told Hindustan Times.
Despite the assurance, the residents refused to budge.
“It will lead to health crisis. They are dumping animal carcass, which is totally unacceptable. Village panchayat held a meeting on the issue in the morning and it was unanimously decided that garbage dumping will not be permitted in the village at any cost,” said Vijender Dabas, a resident of Rani Khera village.
Another resident, Anil Rana, questioning the decision of the administration, said why the north corporation should share the responsibility of another civic body if they can’t share revenue.
“They are bringing the city’s waste to the rural area. Why are people of villages ignored always? Why the authority is adamant on converting this village into a dumping yard? Hundreds of residents are camping at the site where the garbage was thrown in the morning. This is not acceptable,” he said.
Councillor Dabas, who is reportedly leading the agitators, said he was bound to stand with the people of his ward.
“I am an elected representative. They have voted me to take up their issues, and hence, I, along with the mayor, met the L-G in the evening. Though he had given an assurance to resolve the issue soon but the residents are not convinced,” he said.