A meeting between Noida residents and officials has been scheduled for Monday regarding the setting up of garbage dumpyards in the city.
Havan done by Noida residents
Protests against the upcoming garbage dumps in Noida have become a regular affair and are gaining steam with each passing day. Residents of the city constantly keep on trying to grab the attention of the authorities through various means.
Residents of several sectors including 120, 121, 122 conducted a havan (prayer ritual) and kept a fast on Sunday, while protesting against the Noida authority’s plan to set up two garbage dumps in the city. They were joined by villagers and pehelwans (wrestlers) from neighbouring villages such as Behlolpur, Sarfabad, Sorkha, Parthala Khanjarpur and Ghari Chaukhandi.
Protesting residents said that they would not step back until and unless it is made clear that the garbage dumps are not coming up in the city. “Our protests will continue and we cannot let these centers of pollution crop up near our homes,” said Anupam Oberoi, resident of sector 120.
A meeting between Noida residents and officials has been scheduled for Monday. However, residents of sectors 119, 120, 121, 122 said that although residents of other sectors have been invited in the meeting, they have been left out. “We will still attend the meeting even though we are not invited. We have a problem and we will put it forward,” said Abhay Pandey, resident of Homes 121 society.
Although authority officials have confirmed that a general meeting with residents is scheduled for Monday, it could not be confirmed if residents of these sectors have actually been left out.
While addressing a previous protest of these residents, Gautam Budh Nagar MP and Union Minister of state Mahesh Sharma had assured them that he would not show them his face if garbage dumpyards are set up in Noida.
Since the submission of a litigation at the National Green Tribunal, the Noida Authority was ordered to stop dumping garbage in Sector 138A and develop a waste-to-energy plant at the site within six months from the date of the order.
Apparently, the authority has decided to develop a waste-to-energy plant in Sector 123 instead of making it a regular sanitary landfill site. Sources within the authority have also said that they will be developing a dense green belt along the periphery of the landfill to prevent foul odour.
Meanwhile residents maintained that there will be more such protests in the coming days if the matter is not decided upon soon.
