Siliguri Mayor acts against garbage dumping from Sikkim

Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb has pledged strong action against the illegal dumping of garbage from Sikkim in various localities of the city, following growing complaints from residents. The mayor announced plans to write to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other authorities to address the issue at an intergovernmental level.

The controversy intensified after security guards at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation's (SMC) dumping ground intercepted three vehicles carrying medical waste from Gangtok. Mayor Deb directed the SMC secretary to file a formal complaint with the Bhaktinagar police station and urged the police commissioner to ensure strict measures against those involved.

“This practice is illegal and unethical,” Mayor Deb said.

“While Sikkim projects itself as a garbage-free state, its waste is being offloaded in Siliguri. This is unacceptable. The Sikkim government must implement effective waste management before making such claims.”, he added.

Local residents including Debashis Maitra have accused some hoteliers and business entities in Sikkim of colluding with local facilitators to dump waste in Siliguri. In a related incident, villagers in Chhota Phapri stopped four vehicles and alerted the police.

One driver claimed the waste was segregated plastic intended for recycling in Bihar, but the mayor and locals remain unconvinced, calling for stricter enforcement to safeguard the region's environment.