Patna: No respite from foul smell as trash piles up at Bakri Bazar

PATNA: Delay in the construction of secondary garbage points at Gardanibagh and Agamkuan has caused a major problem for the residents of these areas. Similar is the situation in Station Road market area as its nearby Bakri Bazar has become an open dumping yard and a nightmare for the people, especially during the monsoon season.
The 16 acre land identified under the smart city project of Railway Station Area Redevelopment has been turned into a temporary secondary garbage point by the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC). Filled with plastic bags and trash, the place makes it difficult for the passersby and residents of Bandar Bagicha, Budh Marg, Meethapur, Shri Niwas Path, Chandani Chowk and Lal Market to breath.
Subodh Goel, a chartered accountant and resident of Bandar Bagicha, said it was impossible to sit even in the balcony of home. “My flat is almost 800 metres away but the whole area stinks. The garbage should not be dumped in the residential areas, especially when coronavirus threat is mounting,” he said.
Sandeep Choubey of Budh Marg said, “We can keep our homes clean, but what about the garbage piles lying in our locality. The civic body needs to do something about it.”
Putul Kumari of Gardanibagh said not only the household garbage but the used medical equipment were also lying there. “Rain worsens the situation for the residents. We are more scared due to Covid-19 pandemic. There are also commercial establishments and hospitals in the area,” she said.
Amit Kumar of Budh Marg complained that mosquitoes swarm the area with the onset of monsoon. “We cannot even sleep due to the foul smell,” he said.
Altogether 365 autotippers have been engaged in dumping and transporting garbage from households to the Gardanibagh, Agamkuan and Bakri Bazaar.
PMC sources said the garbage generated from the PMC’s New Capital, Patliputra and Bankipore circles was dumped at Bakri Bazaar.
When contacted, PMC commissioner Himanshu Sharma said as soon as the garbage transfer station at Gardanibagh gets ready, the dumping of garbage at Bakri Bazaar would be stopped. “It is a temporary arrangement till the transfer station becomes operational. The sanitation workers clear the garbage on alternate days and dispose of it at landfill site,” he said.
“The work on Gardanibagh transfer station has stopped since February due to some technical reasons. The PMC has already requested the urban development and housing department to resume work. We expect it to restart soon,” Himanshu said and added, “Around 80% of the works has already been completed at Gardanibagh while it is yet to start at Agamkuan.”
The civic body has planned to process the garbage at secondary points with the help of compactors before dumping it at the landfill site at Ramachak Bairiya.