Iron nets on bridges in Siliguri to stop dumping of waste into rivers

Sanchita Aich Bag | MP | 9 Mar 2023 : To prevent river pollution, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started putting up iron nets on both sides of the bridges in Siliguri. Already, such nets have come up on the bridge on the Fuleswari River which connects the Subhaspally and Rabindra Nagar areas of the town. 

“After coming to power, our first aim was to make all the rivers of Siliguri, pollution free. Accordingly, we started work. However, we found that people throw garbage directly into the river from the bridges,” stated Ranjan Sarkar, the Deputy Mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation. 

Despite all the awareness campaigns, the situation remains the same. “Finally we decided on this idea to put up iron nets on both sides of the bridges so that people won’t be able to dump garbage into the rivers from the bridges,” added Sarkar. It is noted that, earlier, a mosquito net had been put up on the bridge on Fuleswari river- the border between ward number 20 and 23. 

However, the net was destroyed and people continued dumping waste again. To solve the problem, the SMC board has come up with the idea of putting up iron nets, this time. The nets have been set up on the railings to a height of about five feet. According to the SMC sources, they will install the nets primarily in the vegetable and fruit market areas. 

These areas include the Ghogomali vegetable and fruit market area and the Fuleswari market. A huge quantity of garbage generated daily in those markets was being dumped into the rivers. The sellers dumped thermocol boxes, plastic packets and remains of fish and chicken directly into the river. 

“To keep the rivers clean. We have started the iron net installation work. First, we have set up the iron net on the bridge at Subhashpally. Soon we will install iron nets in other bridges,” said Manik Dey, the Mayor-in-Council of the Waste Management department. 

In 2022, the SMC had held several meetings with the West Bengal Pollution Control Board on the health of rivers. The WBPCB, after conducting a study on the pollution level of the river Mahananda, had also planned to conduct similar surveys on the Jorapani, Fuleshwari, Panchanoi rivers. The SMC has plans to revive all these rivers. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/iron-nets-on-bridges-in-siliguri-to-stop-dumping-of-waste-into-rivers-511102