SILIGURI: Three trucks loaded with garbage from Sikkim were stopped on December 24 while attempting to dump waste at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) dumping ground. The incident has provoked sharp reactions from Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb, who called on the West Bengal government to intervene and address the issue.
Security personnel stationed at the dumping ground near the Eastern Bypass intercepted the trucks, each carrying nearly 10 tonnes of waste. Following the intervention, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police seized the trucks. Deb stressed the need for Sikkim to establish a scientific waste disposal system, stating, "Siliguri cannot bear the burden of Sikkim's waste."
A truck from Sikkim was caught attempting to dump clinical waste in the Dabgram-ll panchayat area of Jalpaiguri district earlier in November, leading to protests by local residents and environmentalists over the ecological risks posed by improper waste disposal.
Deb has now formally approached Bengal's urban development and municipal affairs department to escalate the matter to Sikkim's authorities. The mayor has also directed SMC officials to file a formal complaint at the Bhaktinagar police station and plans to write to Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking her intervention.
To prevent future incidents, surveillance around the dumping ground has been tightened with upgraded CCTV systems.
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