The college road in Doraha, which connects the town area to the grain market and several educational institutions, had been an eyesore for students and commuters for years due to a long-standing issue of garbage dumping. However, thanks to the efforts of the Vatrukh Foundation, the dumping ground has been transformed into a green space. The NGO has cleared the area of waste and planted saplings along the road, bringing relief to the students and commuters who use it on a daily basis.Earlier, even after the garbage was lifted, it would return to the road in no time. The municipal council had failed to find a permanent solution to the problem of garbage accumulation on the road despite repeated pleas made by locals and the media’s efforts to highlight the issue. Household and commercial waste lay unattended along the stretch for years. The garbage piled up early in the morning, dispersing a strong stench and forcing students, bank employees and pedestrians to cover their faces while passing by.“Repeated complaints to the municipal council did not yield a permanent solution. The dump would be cleared once, only to return again,” said Danish, a resident. Taking note of the problem, the Vatrukh Foundation, led by resident and environmentalist Samita Kaur, got the garbage lifted with the help of volunteers and MC staff. The team also planted saplings in the area.“Cleaning of the roads near grain markets and educational institutions is a collective responsibility. We as a society can always think of adopting a spot and turning it into a green one with some care and attention. As far as this particular spot is concerned, it had a perennial waste problem. On Mondays, the situation would be unbearable. School and college students, bank employees and commuters had to begin their mornings by wading through scattered waste, while being exposed to all sorts of stray animals, cattle and buffaloes,” said Samita.“The saplings we have planted are now watered every day and shall be personally looked after till they become self-sustaining. We have also put up boards asking people not to dump waste and would monitor the site regularly,” the foundation chief added.The move has been welcomed and lauded by road users, especially students who used to hold their breath while crossing near the dumping area. “Earlier, it was impossible to walk here without covering our nose. The stench was unbearable during summers. It feels good to see plants here now,” said Navneet Kaur, a BA student at a college the road leads to.The removal of waste has also brought relief for farmers, who had to bear with grain and filth together. Gurpreet Singh, a farmer from Rajgarh village, said the clean-up was one of the most important acts of civic responsibility that the NGO had undertaken. “For years, our trolleys had to pass through garbage heaps. But we did not encounter such a problem this year. We were surprised to see the filthy place converted to a green spot,” he added.Local market committee officials said the clean-up had improved the environment of the place. “The road is crucial during procurement season and the efforts of the NGO are truly commendable,” they said. College authorities said the change was visible and expressed hope that it would be sustained.