Status: Not ApprovedHEAD: 24_Del_NM_URINAL Garbage DUMP HCByline: Neha MishraNew Delhi: The stench hits you even before you see the urinal and a garbage dump. Turn left and the sight of plastic bags littering the narrow street and an open men’s urinal appears well before you see Rachit Gupta’s 99-year-old home in Old Delhi‘s Sitaram Bazar. Calling the situation “unlivable”, Gupta, 46, said he can’t even use his balcony, let alone enter his home without a handkerchief placed firmly on his face. Earlier this month, Delhi High Court came to his and his elderly mother’s rescue, ordering that the garbage dump and urinal be demolished after a year and a half long battle. It directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to demolish the open dustbin and the urinal within four weeks and asked the civic agency to arrange a covered dustbin for dry and wet waste at a “distance” from the petitioner’s home.While Gupta, who is a lawyer, is relieved, the order has triggered sharp divisions among local residents.While those who live in the vicinity of the two MCD-owned structures supported the demolition, saying the foul smell and unhygienic conditions had made it embarrassing to invite guests home, others are opposed to the move.Ismail, an ironsmith, said there are only two public toilets in the entire area. He lives opposite Gupta’s house. “Most families living here depend on the this toilet. Many people don’t have toilets in their houses. Demolishing it without providing an immediate alternative will leave dozens of residents without access to a toilet,” he said. Tensions have reportedly escalated, with the petitioner alleging that some residents threatened to defecate on the road or outside his house if the structure is removed. Those opposing the demolition maintain that although the toilet is poorly maintained, it remains a necessity due to inadequate sanitation infrastructure.Gupta, however, said some residents from nearby houses throw garbage from their balconies into the bin, causing waste to spill onto the road. Gupta claimed that the condition has persisted for years and that he had repeatedly written to the civic body before finally approaching the court in 2024. He also alleged that a similar structure had earlier been demolished by his father but it was rebuilt.Gupta said that MCD officials visited the site on Monday.An MCD official told PTI that the civic body is examining the court order. MSID:: 128755581 413 |
