Garbage piles in front of the divisional library… How will reading culture grow?

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

For the past seven years, the Municipal Corporation has been carrying out waste segregation right in front of the Divisional Library. As a result, readers, students, employees and officers visiting the library are forced to endure unbearable stench, filth, stray dogs and severe unhygienic conditions. The library’s wall has literally crumbled due to repeated JCB activity and is at risk of collapsing at any time. Despite protests, petitions, and repeated requests over the years, the apathetic administration has not taken any concrete action.

Around 50 to 100 students preparing for competitive examinations use the library daily. Students say that garbage and the foul smell disrupt their concentration. A heap of trash welcomes them right at the entrance. Studying becomes difficult under such circumstances. Library users and book lovers have held agitations in the past, but even those efforts brought no change.

Complaints escalated to Mumbai

The library administration has submitted complaints starting from former Mayor Nandkumar Ghodele to the current Municipal Commissioner G. Sreekanth. Even the state library director, Ashok Gadekar, has sent a letter to the Commissioner from Mumbai. While cleaning is seen in the area for two days after such complaints, by the third day the garbage piles return, along with the intolerable stench, the administration alleged.

No concrete action

Efforts were made to invite municipal officials and public representatives as chief guests for events held at the library, hoping they would witness the situation firsthand and resolve the issue. However, even after seeing the conditions themselves, no official took decisive action, students said with disappointment.

“We have corresponded with the Municipal Corporation many times and even held protests. Smart City officials cleaned the area once and assured us that garbage would not be dumped again. But the situation returned to ‘as it was’. I went to meet the Commissioner, but could not get an appointment. After seven years of trying, nothing has changed.”

— Sunil Huse, assistant library director

“The garbage causes mosquitoes and foul smells. It also leads to headaches. It’s difficult to concentrate.”

— Akash Borde, student

“There is often meat in the garbage, because of which dogs gather. They even drag bones inside the library. The wall has collapsed, and the building hasn’t been repainted in years.”

— Sandeep Pawar, reader