Rafiabad: Garbage hopper tippers allotted to Block Dangiwacha will finally be operational from 1st May 2025. The Block Development Officer (BDO), while speaking to Kashmir Chronicle, confirmed that the tippers will officially begin collecting waste from villages falling under the jurisdiction of Block Dangiwacha.
Although the two hopper tippers were allotted to the Block last year, they remained non-operational until now. When questioned about the delay, the BDO stated that he had taken charge only a few months ago and assured that the vehicles would now function properly to collect waste from rural areas.
The BDO also informed Kashmir Chronicle that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with a private company led by Dr Firdous Ahmad. The company will take full responsibility for the maintenance of the hopper tippers and waste collection. In case of any complaints regarding non-collection of waste, the BDO said that the public can directly report to his office. Actions will be taken as per the terms of the MoU, and he urged the public to cooperate with the company involved.
The contract has been signed for a six-month period. As per the service charges, BPL category ration card holders will pay Rs 50, APL card holders Rs 100, shopkeepers and other businessmen Rs 200 and government institutions will also be charged Rs 200.
“This initiative will help reduce pollution caused by solid waste, agricultural residue and other refuse,” the BDO added. He expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of water bodies and promised efforts to restore them to a cleaner state.
The waste collected will be transported to designated dumping yards and later moved to secondary locations. He appealed to the public to support the concerned department in its cleanliness mission.
It is pertinent to mention that although the hoppers were allotted last year, the department had failed to operationalise them, raising questions about administrative delays. However, residents of Block Dangiwacha are now hopeful that this long-awaited step will finally bring cleanliness to rural areas.
