Solan garbage disposal system in a state of mess

Solan, a hill station mid-way on the Kalka-Shimla highway has a failed and rotten garbage disposal system. As a result, the heaps of garbage all over the scenic town is raising a stink in the growing summer heat.

Unlike the state capital, Shimla, there is no house-to-house garbage collection in Solan. Also, the bursting garbage dumpers are not cleared for weeks on the outskirts of the town, say residents.

Civic officials say they do not have enough vehicles to ship the garbage from Solan to the Shimla underground garbage unit.

Residents say the problem began after the decision to stop open garbage disposal at nearby Salogra by a court order. Even burning of garbage was banned.

At a height of 5,200 ft above sea-level, Solan is the second most populous city after Shimla in Himachal Pradesh and has a population of over 100,000.

Solan district is also headquarters of the district which has most of Himachal Pradesh's industry located in the industrial belt of Baddi-Nalagarh-Barotiwala-Parwanoo.

The town houses a sizeable migrant population and is one of the fastest growing in the hill state.

In the early hours of the morning, many can be seen emptying garbage on hillsides and nearby nallas.

Civic officials cite shortage of manpower and vehicles to clear the streets on a regular basis as reasons for the absence of a proper system for garbage collection. However, residents call this a pathetic excuse by officials to avoid routine cleaning work .

Thus, the hill station continues to be littered with filth day after day and there seems to be no solution to clean up the ever growing mess.