Residents of Barbari Railway Colony in Dibrugarh are raising an alarm over severe and unaddressed garbage mismanagement, calling for the urgent intervention of senior Northeast Frontier Railway officials. According to residents, gross garbage mismanagement has turned key residential areas into unhygienic dumping grounds. The critical spots include the vicinity of the Assamese ME School, the area opposite the Doctors’ Quarters, and the plot adjacent to the NF Railway Mazdoor Union Office.
For weeks, accumulated waste, foul odours, and regular garbage spillage onto roads have created an environment deemed unfit for residents, students, and daily commuters. Despite the absence of official dumping signage, the locations have become magnets for waste, creating a clear violation of public health standards and the spirit of the Prime Minister’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
The primary concern is the escalating public health risk. Stagnant waste and open dumping are ideal breeding grounds for vectors and airborne diseases, a worry compounded by the constant presence of stray animals and pests rooting through the refuse, increasing the risk of community-wide contamination.
“The situation is unacceptable. We are talking about children walking past festering piles of garbage just to get to school. This isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a public health emergency waiting to happen. The smell is constant, and the sight of rats and dogs scavenging is deeply disturbing. We need the Railway administration to prioritise this immediately. Sustainable measures—proper bins, clear signposting, and timely pickups—are the only way to restore hygiene and dignity to the colony,” stated a long-time resident.
The affected spots represent only a small glimpse, with two severely impacted areas observed within a mere 1,000-metre stretch. Colony residents said that the problem is systemic, not isolated. What is desperately needed is not just a cleanup, but a structured, organised, and timely garbage collection schedule, paired with a comprehensive waste-management system.
