NMC wakes up as citizens take to streets to clean locality

Nagpur: Fed up of waiting for staffers of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), residents of Renghe Layout have established the Trimurti Nagar Residents’ Action Wing Foundation (TRAWF) on the lines of Dharampeth-based Civic Action Guild (CAG) Foundation, and taken to the streets to clean up their locality. TRAWF also plans to take up other problems being faced by citizens.
TRAWF member Niteesh Chaudhary told TOI, “Our layout comprises of around 100 families. We are facing various problems due to failure of government agencies in their duties. Same is the situation with other residential localities in Trimurti Nagar. We heard about CAG and its impact in Dharampeth and nearby areas. We met CAG members and chalked out a plan to take responsibility of our own locality. Public participation is must for any work. First, we established TRAWF bringing together almost all residents.”

Chaudhary added, “We first took up the issue of cleanliness in our locality. Over 30 residents; men, women, children, gathered and cleaned streets. We were shocked to collect around six trolley garbage from only one lane. Over 40 liquor bottles were collected from shrubs and grass along the lane.”
After learning about the initiative by TRAWF, staffers of the civic body rushed to the spot and joined the movement. “NMC sanitary workers used to come once a month. Tall shrubs and grass growing along both sides of the streets were never removed, posing a threat to citizens, especially senior citizens and children. Now, NMC staffers have assured to clean the locality on regular basis,” said another resident on condition of anonymity.
NMC deputy commissioner Dr Gajendra Mahalle said he would look into the issues of this locality and others too.
The residents are allegedly facing serious problems due to function lawns, halls and school situated in and around the residential locality. “Severe traffic congestion is witnessed in the area whenever there is a function in the lawns and halls. Vehicles are parked on Gajanan Maharaj temple road and internal lanes. Loud music, dumping of rotten food, garbage etc are common,” said a TRAWF member.
The member said, “School buses and other vehicles of the school are always driving at high speed. These vehicles use the narrow internal roads despite availability of major roads from other locations. Our locality does not have playground, garden and other recreational activities. We will start meeting concerned authorities and request them to resolve our problems.”
Chaudhary added, “Unity among residents and participation of all in each and every work related to the residential locality will make a big difference. We will also urge residents of other localities in Trimurti Nagar to take up their issues by joining the movement.”