AGARTALA, July 19 (TIWN): Revered by millions, the lifeline of Agartala, Howrah is polluting fast. Huge quantity of waste from cities and villages situated along the river and effluents discharged from industries have already pushed the quality of water down to ‘C’ category. Once AMC began drive to clean Howrah river and raised slogans of “Save Howrah” movement, receiving hefty amount of central fund. However, the rampant deforestation in its catchment area and population pressure is wreaking havoc on the river.

However, the urban administration and development department has identified 52 such cities in the downstream that have been discharging their municipal discharge directly, among them Howarh comes in the first row.

It’s to be mentioned here that whereas NE villages upgrading in using pakka toilets with the initiative of state Govt. as  in Assam's Lakwa, using toilet is a habit now, AMC’s negligence left river Howrah an open sanitation.

During the Budget counter speech held on June 30,  AMC Mayor Prafullajit Sinha placed vivid explanation about the expenditure from 2015 to 2016 and also placed the budget for the year 2016-17. During the budget counter speech he talked about various projects ongoing and also completed project among which Mayor clamed about the almost completion of JNNURM’s Rs. 102.22 crores, which was sanctioned for Storm Water Drainage system.

But in reality there is no sign of proper drainage yet arranged in Agartala city. With a few splash of rain the city dupes into water and water logging till waist, is very common for Agartala City.

Whereas Agartala city is aimed convert into a SMART City in future, but it has remained as one of the most ‘Garbage-dumping-ground.

 Under Manik Sarkar’s regime another example of Tripura’s Golden Era is the Municipal Council’s cleanliness management skill across the Agartala city. The whole city is hit with dirty smells, garbage beside the road and resulting into unhygienic condition.

Reportedly, the Municipal Corporation has not provided any kind of containers and dustbins for dumping garbage in most of the parts in the city, so that no municipal workers are need to be deployed in that area.

Such negligence of the Municipal corporation is prominent especially urban areas.

Maximum town areas are left without dustbin and people are using the drains as the alternative of dustbin, resulting  into overflowing drains.

However, hardly in every places there are drains also. Few areas got drains after years and years of requests and placing 100 of demand letters to the Municipal corporation.

 With no provision of dustbins, has hit the much hyped Clean India Campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Lok Sabha constituency. Most of the localities, particularly congested areas, wear a filthy look with garbage scattered all over, but the authorities have no concern about all these.

Due to lack of dustbins, heaps of garbage can be seen lying on roadsides, which leaves a bad impression about the administrative over there.

Municipal has violated all the instructions given by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). For example CPCB had waned every Municipal   Council to look after the matters as :

1)Untreated sewage shall not be disposed into the river, or at any other recipient body : Howrah river, Gomati river, Manu river and many lakes across the state are directly connected by untreated sewages. 

 2) The sewerage system must be capable to cover the entire local / urban areas and to ensure complete treatment of sewage generated : One Tenth part of the state subdivision is not covered by drain yet. Hardly in urban bodies drain yet made.

   3) The local bodies shall seek consent under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974: State is now under scrolling under polluted water and department is busy to fill up the ponds as fast as possible.

So with the blessing of Municipal Corporation in the city has become a dumping ground, violating all the terms & conditions under Swachh Bharat Mission.

Apart from this govt. is too much friendly with pollution and nature spoiling activities. Moreover, noise pollution, de-forestation, rubber plantation are so much dominating the state’s environment.