DIBRUGARH, March 26 � At least five garbage dumping vehicles of the Dibrugarh Municipal Board were seized by the agitating people from Maijan, Chandmari, Borsaikia, Paltan Bazar, Dibrujan and Jalan Nagar on Wednesday following the district administration�s failure to initiate corrective measures in containing pollution in the area due to large scale garbage dumping on the river-bed of the Brahmaputra near Maijan.
Despite repeated pleas by the local people to ensure proper health norms and to shift the garbage site, the district administration has remained unresponsive. Recently several species of birds were seen killed near the garbage site probably due to poisoning. However, no remedial measures have been taken so far.
On November 15, 2014 during a meeting with the people of the area, the then Deputy Commissioner Aruna Rajoria had resolved that the Dibrugarh municipal authority would level the piles of mounting garbage and will also take steps to cover the wastes with silt, but so far nothing has been done. The then Deputy Commissioner had also given a written assurance that the Circle Officer of the area would randomly monitor the disposal of municipal garbage.
Following earlier assurances, the people had agreed that till another site was selected, garbage would be allowed to be disposed off in the present area for a period of five months, which meant till April 15, 2015. �The district administration has cheated us. None of the resolutions has been implemented other then continuing with the disposal,� Niranjan Deb, a resident of the area told The Assam Tribune.
The then Deputy Commissioner Aruna Rajoria had also warned nursing homes and Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) here against dumping biomedical wastes on the banks of the Brahmaputra, stating that it was in violation of conventional health and environment norms. She had issued the warning after the people in the Maijan area blocked dumpers carrying the wastes as mark of protest in mid-November.
However, biomedical wastes can be traceable at the site, the agitating people said. They are also firm in their resolve not to allow disposal of wastes at the site after April 15.