Siliguri residents have expressed serious concerns over the unloading of Sikkim waste in several areas of the city, which has resulted in offensive odors and public demonstrations. Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb has taken a strong stand and stated that he intends to write to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other pertinent authorities in order to escalate the matter. The mayor also called on the state government to act quickly to stop the unlawful disposal of Sikkim’s rubbish in Siliguri. When three vehicles tried to unload medical waste at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) dumping area, security personnel stopped them, escalating the situation.
The SMC secretary was then instructed by the mayor to file a formal complaint at the Bhaktinagar police station. In a letter to the chief minister and other departments, the mayor affirmed his intention to call for an intergovernmental resolution to the issue. He also brought up the possibility of trash being dumped into the Teesta River, which might have detrimental effects on the ecosystem. Locals have also drawn attention to the unlawful dumping and the role played by some hoteliers and companies operating in Sikkim.
According to local citizen Debashis Maitra, some residents are involved in enabling the practice, and he asked for a comprehensive inquiry to find those accountable. A related event occurred in Chhota Phapri when locals alerted the police and stopped four vans carrying trash from unloading waste. Although the garbage came from Sikkim, one driver acknowledged that it was separated plastic debris that was going to be recycled in Bihar. In order to protect the environment and maintain public hygiene in the Siliguri area, there are calls for more enforcement due to the growing worries about unlawful dumping.
