Spot under overbridge turned into dumping site
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 23 2025: The area under the overbridge opposite Cheirap Court in Uripok has become a garbage dumping ground and posing health risks to the people on top of being an eyesore.

Shopkeepers and vendors in the vicinity alone are not responsible for the problem as various household garbage can also be seen among the trash.

Lack of awareness about proper waste disposal coupled with overdependence on the Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) to take care of the garbage has hindered the Imphal Smart City initiative.

Additionally, there is traffic movement underneath the overbridge and many people also take shelter here during heavy rains.

As such, disposing waste irresponsibly at this public place and the stench emanating from the decaying trash can pose a danger to public health.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, an unnamed individual from the nearby auto parking lot shared that the problem has persisted for a long time.

Sometimes, IMC cleaners collect the garbage and leave the area spic and span but dumping of garbage resumes after a day or two.

He suspected that people are discarding their garbage either early in the morning or at night as they are not seen doing the same when the area is bustling with people.

Sometimes pedestrians and others also throw plastic bottles and snack wrappers seeing the rubbish pile which causes more inconvenience to the public when it rains, he remarked.

Saying that the auto parking for Game Village and other areas is nearby, he added that vendors also sell snacks in the vicinity of Cheirap Court.

He expressed worry that germs and toxic materials from the garbage dump might potentially be getting into the food being sold nearby.

Stressing on the health hazards posed by the rubbish dumped here, he said that maintaining cleanliness in the area should not be the sole responsibility of the IMC and the Government.

People need to have civic sense and a collective understanding of proper waste disposal.

"There is no area in Imphal City which is not littered with garbage", said another individual seeking shelter from the rain under the overbridge.

Despite much cleaning and collection of waste, people lack awareness and understanding so every area has been turned into a dustbin, he added.

In view of such a state of affairs, he said it is not shocking that the stretch underneath the overbridge has also been turned into a trash dumping site.

Within Imphal City, the only places where people don't discard garbage are their own houses and shops, he quipped.

On another note, he said that people who dump their garbage in public places like roadsides and rivers, instead of spending a small sum to subscribe to IMC's door-to-door waste collection scheme, should be punished.

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