Tale of Two Realities: Shimla’s Contrasting Facade
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Shimla, Nov 20 Ritanjali Hastir
The Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), tasked with maintaining the city’s cleanliness and orderliness, finds itself embroiled in stark contradictions. While public statements and development plans project a vision of a pristine city, the reality within key branches of the Corporation, such as the Architect Planner Branch and the Estate Branch, tells a troubling story of neglect and disarray.
The conditions within these departments are deplorable, with unhygienic surroundings posing a threat not just to the health of employees but also to the general public. A visit to the area before 10 AM reveals the shocking truth — employees and visitors are forced to navigate a temporary passage that relies on the illumination from a private restaurant’s light. The lack of proper pathways reflects poorly on a city administration that otherwise prides itself on its urban planning prowess.
Adding to the indignity are whiskey bottles and other trash strewn across the premises. This disarray highlights a disregard for basic sanitation standards and undermines the very ethos of a municipal body meant to serve as a custodian of civic cleanliness.
The question arises: how can an institution responsible for setting standards for the city fail so miserably within its own walls? It appears that the focus has shifted entirely to building new concrete structures to impress the transient tourist population, while the health and well-being of its own employees are relegated to an afterthought.
This neglect raises broader concerns about the priorities of the Shimla Municipal Corporation. The emphasis on flashy projects, often designed to cater to the floating population of tourists, comes at the expense of sustainable planning and basic facilities for residents and staff. Such a short-sighted approach not only endangers the credibility of the Corporation but also risks eroding the trust of the public it is meant to serve.
It is high time the “big wigs” of State reassessed their priorities. An immediate clean-up of the affected areas, coupled with long-term measures to ensure hygienic working conditions, is not just desirable but imperative. The health and dignity of employees, along with the public’s trust, should be treated as non-negotiable.
Shimla’s charm lies not just in its picturesque views but also in its capacity to function as a clean, well-managed city. The Corporation must bridge the gap between its lofty promises and the grim realities within its own corridors. Anything less would be a betrayal of the city’s heritage and its people.
