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Garbage stink lingers in Mohali despite HC snub
The garbage crisis in Mohali arose after local bodies secretary Ajoy Sharma had on June 18 last year directed the Mohali MC to stop garbage dumping at the Phase-8 site in wake of the high court’s directions to adopt bioremediation measures at the site, which has accumulated around 2.5 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste
Despite a high court order six months ago, garbage continues to pile up in the prominent GMADA areas of Mohali, creating an eyesore and health hazards for residents. Mohali municipal corporation (MC) had blocked garbage from GMADA areas from entering its jurisdiction after the snub.
The sides of the roads, vacant plots in prominent areas, including the road opposite the District Administrative Complex towards Sector 89 and Sector 88, Sectors 104 and 105, and both sides of the Airport Road ahead of TDI in Sector 117, are now strewn with garbage.
Helpless residents, complaining about the obnoxious stink near their houses, can be seen burning garbage piles in these sectors daily.
Kulwant Singh, a local resident said, “We have raised several complaints and have requested the authorities but to no avail, as garbage can be seen covering half of the road leading to the court complex coming from Lakhnaur side. This causes an unbearable stench and poses risk to human lives. Thus, we are left with no option but to burn the garbage.”
Patiala Ki Rao flooded with trash
Authorities, however, seem to be lax on the ongoing garbage crisis even when the deteriorating condition of Patiala Ki Rao stands as a sombre reminder of how far the city has strayed away from cleanliness and environmental care.
The overbridge built over Patiala Ki Rao, on Airport Road, is scattered with the area’s trash.
Pramod Paswan, a vegetable vendor who has lived near the site for two years, said, “The garbage here is constant. Police ask citizens to not throw any garbage here but still, they continue to do it. For us, it becomes difficult sometimes as it smells so bad. The residents living near the stream do not even recognise it as a water body. For them, it’s a nallah, nothing more. The stream’s true identity has vanished in the vicinity.”
The situation is worse in Kharar as the garbage heap is adjacent to the local civil hospital and around the public parks due to negligence of Kharar MC.
Speaking on the issue, Mohali deputy commissioner (DC) Aashika Jain said, “To address the garbage issue in the city, MC has put in loads of efforts. It has considerably improved over the last four months. As far as GMADA is concerned, in areas outside Mohali MC’s jurisdiction, we are trying to identify the most problematic areas, especially the overbridge on Patiala Ki Rao stream. We have been trying to press upon GMADA the need for efficient sanitation and waste management services in these areas. If the issue remains unresolved, there is certainly a problem, and we will take legal action against the concerned officials of GMADA.”
Action against defaulters soon: GMADA
Meanwhile GMADA chief administrator Moneesh Kumar said that the garbage in the areas under GMADA is currently being managed under corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“I held a special meeting with the developers and had asked them to manage the solid waste in their areas but their functioning has not been satisfactory. Thus, I will hold another meeting with them soon and take strict action against the defaulters,” he said.
However, another officer said GMADA does not have enough sanitation staff and its main work is to focus on housing projects and not on the cleanliness, which is the job of the civic bodies. “We had requested MC to maintain cleanliness in our areas for which we were ready to pay. Sanitation should be the responsibility of the civic bodies and not GMADA,” he added.
Meanwhile, a senior MC officer, on the condition of anonymity, said the corporation had also roped in a private contractor as a temporary waste disposal arrangement till it allots permanent bioremediation tender.
“We had suggested GMADA to rope in the same contractor from these sites and process it at the cost of ₹1,090 per tonne, but they did not give him the contract and as a result, garbage can be seen scattered on the roads in their areas. They should hire a contractual chief sanitation officer, along with sanitation inspectors, to manage the situation. GMADA earlier did not bother to construct RMC points or public toilets while developing new areas, while the garbage was being dumped in the city area under the corporation,” an MC official said.
The garbage crisis in Mohali arose after local bodies secretary Ajoy Sharma had on June 18 last year directed the Mohali MC to stop garbage dumping at the Phase-8 site in wake of the high court’s directions to adopt bioremediation measures at the site, which has accumulated around 2.5 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste. The site will only be used for bioremediation of the legacy waste, the orders had stated.
This left Mohali MC’s 14 resource management centres (RMC) overflowing with waste, prompting the civic body to stop flow of garbage from GMADA areas.
