Residents of eight villages near Almora town are protesting against the dumping of garbage by the Almora Nagar Palika Parishad near their homes and cattle grazing grounds. They say the dumped garbage is not only affecting the environment around their villages but also polluting natural water sources being used by them. Villagers say garbage dumped by the Almora civic body at Phalseema is polluting water from natural sources being used by residents of Tatik, Tana, Rithakhal, Golna, Kararia and Bakh villages. Pet animals are dying after consuming this toxic litter. “A putrid smell emanates from the dumps. It has become difficult to live in our villages,” adds Kishan Singh Bisht, a resident of Phalseema village. Besides these villages, people living in upper localities are facing problems as the Nagar Palika Parishad workers burn garbage, causing air pollution. “Every day, we are exposed to an unbearable stench as our locality is situated near the dumping ground,” says Ravindra Singh, a resident of NDT locality in Almora. Villagers say they will start an agitation if the civic body continues to dump garbage near their villages. “If we want to live in the area, we will have to fight against the civic body to stop it from dumping garbage near our villages,” said Kailas Singh Bisht, another resident.