Kol civic body slammed after trash flies onto CM's car

, March 14: People in the mega-city often finds open garbage-carrying trucks passing by them, spreading stench and discomfort. But never ever does the civic authority take any measure to address this issue. But the administration was stirred up on Wednesday after none but the state's chief minister found herself at the receiving end.

According to a report published in Bengali daily Anandabazaar Patrika, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was travelling in her car just behind an open garbage truck on way to the airport to leave for north Bengal when rubbish started flying out from the truck onto her car. A furious Banerjee instructed the police to stop the vehicle and it was seized. She also asked the civic authorities to take strict measures on the issue.

The entire administration was put in great discomfort by the incident. Municipal commissioner Khalil Ahmed reached the spot where the incident took place and met concerned officials. Officials of the waste disposal department and contractors employed to dispose the waste were also called up. A high-level municipal meeting was also convened to ensure that such incident doesn't occur again.

Thirteen years ago, environmentalist Subhash Dutta had filed a public interest litigation 1in Calcutta High Court against the plying of open garbage vehicles in the city. Dutta said after the court gave verdict that garbage trucks must be covered before they are driven on the city roads but the order did not have a lasting impact.

Ordinary citizens accused the municipal authorities of taking the matter lightly. It was only because the CM faced the problem this time that so much attention is being given to the persisting problem.

OneIndia News