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Guwahati's Open Dumping Crisis: Can CCTVs Save Wetlands?
30 Oct
Summary
- Open dumping persists in Guwahati despite municipal clean-up efforts.
- Darkness allows illegal waste disposal in poorly lit, isolated areas.
- CCTV cameras are being considered to deter offenders and protect wetlands.
Open dumping remains a significant problem in Guwahati, with citizens highlighting poorly lit streets and vacant plots as preferred sites for illegal waste disposal. Areas like Beltola and Panjabari are frequently cited by residents for such activities. The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) conducts regular sanitation drives, but indiscriminate dumping continues to challenge these efforts.
To address this escalating issue, the GMC is considering installing CCTV cameras at identified garbage-vulnerable points. This surveillance aims to monitor and deter illegal dumping, a measure officials believe is crucial alongside public cooperation. Residents have expressed frustration over continued dumping, particularly in urban wetlands like Borsola Beel, which is becoming a receptacle for household waste, exacerbating pollution and breeding grounds for insects.
Despite the GMC's cleaning initiatives, the lack of civic sense among some inhabitants and visitors contributes to the persistent problem. The contamination of wetlands like Borsola Beel, part of the Bharalu river channel, not only degrades these vital drainage systems but also creates unhygienic conditions and foul odors for nearby communities, turning them into dumping grounds.
