Budgam, Oct 17 : Improper garbage disposal near Budren Nallah in the Budran area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district has raised concerns among local residents, who say the dumping of waste near two segregation sheds constructed by the Rural Development Department is creating problems for commuters and posing a threat to the water body.
Locals alleged that people passing through the road, as well as some individuals arriving in vehicles, were dumping garbage near the sheds, turning the area into an unofficial dumping site. Residents living close to the nallah claimed that some people bring waste in vehicles during the night and dispose of it under the cover of darkness.
The accumulated garbage has also attracted stray dogs, raising safety concerns among pedestrians and daily commuters who use the road.
Hamid Ahmad, a labourer who regularly travels along the road to reach his workplace, said the growing presence of stray dogs had made the stretch increasingly uncomfortable for pedestrians.
“I use this road every day to reach my workplace. The garbage dumped near the nallah has become a gathering spot for stray dogs, making it difficult for people walking along the road to feel safe,” he said.
Ahmad said pedestrians feared that the dogs could attack them, particularly when passing through the affected stretch.
Residents also expressed concern that dumping waste near the nallah could pollute the water body and adversely affect the surrounding environment.
They pointed out that although the Rural Development Department had constructed two segregation sheds in the area, the surrounding site was being used for indiscriminate waste disposal.
Locals further said the absence of a regular door-to-door garbage collection service in the area had left residents with limited options for disposing of household waste, contributing to the problem.
They urged the concerned Block Development Officer (BDO) and other authorities to arrange for the removal of the accumulated garbage, ensure regular sanitation of the site and take measures to prevent further dumping.
The residents also appealed to the Rural Development Department and the Budgam district administration to introduce an effective waste collection mechanism in the area and ensure that the segregation sheds serve their intended purpose.
