STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Dighalipukhuri has been a heritage site of Guwahati since the pre-independence era, and the vicinity has always been a well-maintained locality. But the setting up of food stalls at the entry gate led to an increase in the dumping of waste in the locality and the loss of the beauty of the location.
With the growing demand for street food in the city, some localities have developed into street food hubs, and one of the newest of them is the street in front of the main entry to Dighalipukhuri Park. A large number of vendors selling a wide variety of cuisines have set up shop at that location. And with the closure of the area near Nehru Park in the city for vendors, the number of sellers near Dighalipukhuri has increased drastically. And with the growth of the number of food stalls in the locality, the amount of garbage in the area has also increased.
Every morning, the street remains dumped with plates, glasses, and other garbage by the people who come to enjoy the street food. This creates a major problem for the large number of people who visit the locality for morning walks. Improper garbage dumping not only creates a very unhealthy environment but also attracts stray animals, which is yet another concern for the people resigning nearby, including the hostels of Cotton University that are located nearby.
On the one hand, the daily livelihood of the people setting up these street food stalls is in question, while on the other hand, the cleanliness of the locality is being compromised. In such a condition, the local people have demanded that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation take ample steps to maintain the cleanliness of the place and prevent this popular visiting spot of the city from becoming very unhygienic with the litter dumped because of such businesses.
One person residing in the Ambari-Lamb Road locality of Guwahati who visits the locality often for morning walks provided some suggestions for the GMC, with the hope that this benefits both the sellers and the street food enthusiasts. She said, "GMC can ensure that the food carts are parked in a very systematic manner so that overcrowding can be avoided. They should also be made responsible for cleaning up any garbage dumped by the people. Instead of waiting for the GMC workers to come in the morning and clean up the place, they should tell their own customers to throw away their plates, glasses, wrappers, or any leftover food in proper dustbins."
It remains to be seen if the GMC and the vendors who set up shop in the locality can come together to find a solution for the problem and establish a proper Khao Gully with amenities and cleanliness, or if they allow the beautiful area near the Dighalipukhuri to be destroyed by such inappropriate action by the consumers.
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