Palghar, Maharashtra: The residents of Palghar’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk area are facing serious health and safety concerns due to the negligence of the Palghar Municipal Council’s sanitation department. The area, including Pilena Nagar and Mhatre Chawl, is grappling with the spread of garbage, damaged roads, and increasing mosquito outbreaks, which have led to the rise of diseases like malaria and dengue.
According to locals, the population of Ward One, which includes Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Pilena Nagar, and Mhatre Chawl, is between 3,000 and 4,000 people. Residents claim that the main road connecting these areas has become dilapidated and is filled with potholes, causing several problems to the passersby. These potholes have become breeding grounds for gutter and drainage water, adding to the growing problem of poor sanitation. The lack of regular cleaning has caused an unbearable stench, further troubling the community.
In response to this, locals have submitted multiple complaints to the concerned municipal department requesting road repairs and cleanliness. However, despite repeated appeals, the residents say the administration has not addressed the issue.
“Hundreds of children use this road to go to school every day,” said Aftab Hussain Khan, Shiv Sena UBT’s Yuva Sena leader. “Their health is being seriously impacted by the unhygienic conditions.” Khan warned that if the administration does not resolve the matter urgently, they will be forced to launch an agitation.
Attempts to contact Umakant Gaikwad, the chief officer of the concerned department, went unanswered, leaving the residents without a clear response from the authorities. The local community continues to suffer as they await action from the municipal council to address the escalating sanitation and infrastructure issues.