A nuisance first thing in the morning: Loud music, announcements from garbage collection trucks

A nuisance first thing in the morning: Loud music, announcements from garbage collection trucks

Anantnag: The high-pitched music, and announcements, blaring every morning from garbage collection trucks in many parts of Kashmir have become a public nuisance.
Less than a year back, the municipalities in many parts of Kashmir distributed separate dustbins for wet and dry waste, which was to be collected by garbage trucks that had an inbuilt partition for the two kinds of waste.
Waste segregation could not be achieved, however, because of a lack of manpower and waste management systems. A new nuisance, in the form of loud blaring music, has been added though.
“They have picked some annoying song, “kachra wala aaya….” and keep playing it on repeat. And while they are not playing the song, there are high-pitched announcements,” a resident of Kulgam town told Kashmir Reader.
Many people told Kashmir Reader that it was a two-hour affair every morning, for it takes the truck around that much time to collect garbage from a particular locality.
“The kids get woken up and are terrified. My two-year-old daughter is inconsolable every morning when she hears the high-pitched annoying music and the announcements,” another resident of Anantnag district told Kashmir Reader.
The people said they have been requesting the vehicle drivers to either turn the volume down or use any alternate for announcements, but to no avail. “No one seems to be listening. They are making life miserable for people, especially the children and the sick,” many people that Kashmir Reader talked to said.
Notably, some places like Pampore in Pulwama district are now using sirens in place of the loud music, much to the relief of the residents. Residents in the town that Kashmir Reader talked to said that even the sirens needed to be toned down a bit but they are still far better than the annoying music being played earlier.
“It has been a much-needed relief. I guess all other municipalities should take a cue and adopt sirens in place of the annoying music that seems to cause damage to one’s eardrums,” a resident of Pampore town told Kashmir Reader.
Kashmir Reader talked to Mathoora Masoom, Director of Urban Local Bodies Kashmir, who assured that she will pass on instructions. “We have been able to put in place a system of garbage system painstakingly. It will take some time to evolve and do the right things,” she said, adding, “Nevertheless, I will pass on instructions regarding this.”
She did not commit to replacing the music with sirens, however.

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