Dustbin removed, waste left to rot; plastic ban mocked as commuters suffer daily.
Preneeta Sharma
Shimla
The tall claims of cleanliness by the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) stand completely shattered as the Old Bus Stand has been brazenly turned into a stinking dumping ground. In a shocking display of negligence, authorities removed the dustbin but conveniently left behind piles of rotting garbage, exposing the hollow functioning of the civic body.
The area, meant for public convenience, is now engulfed in unbearable foul smell, forcing daily commuters to wait for buses amid filth and decay. The situation reflects a complete collapse of basic sanitation management in one of the city’s busiest locations.
Even more embarrassing is the open dumping of plastic waste at the site, openly violating the plastic ban in Himachal Pradesh. The lack of enforcement clearly shows that rules exist only on paper, while ground reality tells a different story.
Ritu Thakur, a daily commuter, expressed frustration, saying, “Every third day this same situation can be seen here. Nothing changes, and nothing will change.”
Anjali Chauhan, SMC Health Officer said “This is HRTC premises. It is their responsibility to maintain cleanliness. They have also outsourced this work to an agency and are paying for it. Today, we are going to issue a challan to them. It is their duty to ensure the garbage is collected and handed over to the Municipal Corporation garbage collector in the morning.”
Despite repeated occurrences, no visible action has been taken, raising serious concerns about accountability within the Shimla MC. The civic body’s inaction has effectively converted a public transport hub into a permanent garbage hotspot.
The episode lays bare the stark gap between administrative claims and the grim reality on the ground, leaving local to suffer in silence.
