Sanitary Supervisor suspended after video of polluting waterbody surfaces on social media

Srinagar, Apr 16: Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation Athar Aamir Khan took a strong note and suspended a Sanitary Supervisor of the Corporation for allegedly dumping garbage into a water body in Srinagar uptown.
A netizen M.I. Jehangir posted a video on Twitter showing a sanitation employee of the Corporation brooming the garbage and dumping it into the canal. The location in the video was the Bulbul Bagh Barzaulla area of Srinagar.
The netizen sarcastically wrote that “Welcome to Srinagar Smart City! A place where the SMC pollutes the waterbodies.”
In another video showing smoke emanating from the heaps of garbage near the waterbody, the netizen wrote that the field staff of SMC is one step ahead, burning the garbage thus adding to air pollution when already people are suffering due to ongoing construction works under Smart City Project.
Both the Commissioner and Mayor of the Corporation reacted to the said post. Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation Athar Aamir Khan responded and directed that location should be ascertained and action to be taken against the employees. He said this is not acceptable.
Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu said that these employees should be asked to explain their position.
Sources said that after the threat of suspension loomed over the concerned ward (32) employees, the ward officer Irfan Joo claimed that it was the Compactor driver who lost control of the vehicle resulting in the dropping of garbage near the water body. The ward officer added that he got the bin removed from the bund near the waterbody with the help of his employees as soon as the tweet surfaced.
Chief Sanitation Officer, Nazir Ahmed Baba however put the blame on the sweeper. He said ‘safaiwala’ is clearly pushing waste into the canal. “I personally saw this sweeper throwing waste in the stream last week,” he said.
Taking all this into account, Commissioner SMC, Athar Aamir Khan issued a suspension order which read: “Pending inquiry into the conduct, of Mr Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Sanitary Supervisor Ist, Ward No. 32 is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect in terms of Rule 31 of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1956. The official shall remain attached with the office of Municipal Veterinary Officer.”
Further the Zonal Sanitation Officer (South) SMC is also appointed as Enquiry Officer who shall submit the findings of enquiry within 07 days time. [KNT]