Indiscriminate dumping of garbage within the town was forcibly prevented by the college lecturers, environmentalists and residents in a Durgapur locality this morning. Several garbage trucks were stranded as a result. Angry locals also assaulted the chairman of the respective borough committee when he allegedly tried to ignore the agitators. The civic body has decided to stop dumping waste in the disputed zone temporarily. The solid waste management plant of the civic body, however, is yet to be prepared although eight months have already passed. The Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC) has been using the open space between Hemsheela Model School and Durgapur Government College as a garbage dumping ground for the past five years. The lorries carrying waste started dumping indiscriminately in front of the school, college and two localities ~ The Steel Employees' Cooperative and the Bharat Opthalmic Glass Colony falling between Wards 21 and 23 under the Corporation. The polluted waste that is left in open air started wrecking havoc creating intolerable stench and the residents of the surrounding areas started to complain. The aggrieved residents brought the matter to the notice of the DMC through several protest letters. The college teachers, professors, environmentalists also joined the protest march as the polluted environment was causing extensive damage to their habitat. Dr Rachana Basu, lecturer with the Durgapur Government College alleged: "We are the victims of a very bad situation. Our colony and the college are located within few yards of the dumping place. So is the fate of the school where the kids have go attend classes every morning. The DMC's apathy has disturbed our civic life here.' As stated Dr Gopal Chakraborty, professor, environmental science with the Durgapur Government College: "We teach environmental science in the college and it has now become a mockery that we have been left to reside in this area. It is highly polluted and can cause a lot of health problems.' The lecturers and the residents of Sepco and BOGL townships joined the protest bid by returning the vats forcibly. Six lorries carrying garbage vats were refused entry into the ground today. Mr Kanu Mondal, chairman, Borough Committee No-3, DMC rushed to the spot after the lorry operators reported the matter to him. He, however, had to quit the place as the residents and the teachers launched a vehement protest. He was assaulted by a section of agitators when he attempted to dictate the situation by pressing for dumping on those grounds.