Drains not cleaned, garbage piles up too — and this is a ‘smart village’

NOIDA: Residents of Gharbarah, a smart village situated at a distance of 2km from Sector 150, have complained about lack of sanitation and cleanliness in the locality. The village falls under the jurisdiction of Greater Noida Authority. It is 4km away from Sector 149 and 2km from Greater Noida’s Sector Chi 4.
“The cleanliness arrangements in our smart village Gharbarah are completely lacking.Drains are never swept or cleaned timely. Piles of filth and sewer overflow can be seen everywhere,” said Mohit Bhati, a resident.
In 2022, GNIDA floated tenders for the development of 16 villages that were to be converted into smart villages. The development work included better roads, drainage and sewage systems, horticultural areas, playgrounds, ponds, installation of solar lights, maintaining sanitation and other facilities. Some of the villages selected apart from Gharbarah were Maicha, Chapraulla, Sadullapur, Tilapta, Sirsa, Ghaghola and Astauli.
But residents of Gharbarah have claimed that despite being so close to urban sectors, the smart village encounters persistent apathy and neglect. “Tenders worth crores of rupees have been issued by GNIDA for cleanliness and sanitation. Yet, problems persist,” said Bhati, adding that the village has a population of 3,500 people.
Bhati urges senior officials including GNIDA CEO to visit the village for an inspection. “I request the GNIDA CEO to witness the ground reality once and see the condition of the villages in Greater Noida. In Gharabah, the work is done only on the face of it. There aren’t even enough cleaning staff who can clean and sweep regularly,” said Bhati. Authority officials could not be reached for comment.