New Delhi, April 30 -- Since 1971, Akhil Bhartiya Netrahin Sangh, Raghubir Nagar in West Delhi, has been offering free education and accommodation to a batch of over a hundred visually impaired children every year. Despite maintaining the school's interior well, it faces a significant challenge due to the presence of a huge overflowing MCD garbage receptacle point, or dhalao, and multiple open sewage holes adjacent to it.
The overflow of waste onto the road poses a direct problem to the school's dining hall, where students eat, rendering the environment unbearable for them. Additionally, the nearby MCD-run school of B3 is also affected by the hazardous conditions arising from the proximity to the garbage dump, posing risks to young children in the area.
General Secretary, Devendra Singh Rathore, has tirelessly petitioned the MCD over the span of a decade to address the matter.
The hostel warden at the blind school told Millennium Post, "The awful smell is just the start. Imagine these kids, already struggling with sight issues, now dealing with swarms of bugs and mosquitoes. Their living quarters and dining area, where they share meals, have turned into a nightmare." She further emphasised that the roadside litter prevents them from going out for walks safely or leaving the school's campus altogether.
Adding to the already dire situation, the students, who already struggle to navigate their physical surroundings, also have to contend with the fear of stumbling into not one, but three to four open and deep potholes and sewage holes along the school's footpath.
A concerned parent shared with Millennium Post that several young children have fallen into these hazardous open sewage holes, resulting in serious injuries. Despite numerous complaints lodged by both the school authorities and local residents, the issue persists unabated.
A student from the school questioned, "The sewage overflow and the garbage dump has trapped us inside, suffocating us. Just because we're visually impaired, don't we deserve the chance to experience the world beyond these walls?"
Furthermore, attracted by the dump, stray dogs and stray cows terrorise the school's surroundings. Compounding the problem, not only for the school but also for thousands of residents in B3 Raghubir Nagar, is the presence of a cluster of 7-8 butcher shops within a 650-meter radius of the school. These shops regularly dump animal remains in the same garbage site, exposing young children to various diseases. Additionally, nearby hospitals add to the problem by disposing of their medical waste at the same location.
Mayor of Delhi, Shelly Oberoi, along with the MCD, has initiated various cleaning campaigns in Delhi, including 'Ab Dilli Hogi Saaf', promising to address Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) and maintain overflowing garbage collection structures. Despite multiple assurances and shared timelines, numerous such points persist in West Delhi.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.