A day after the 10-day sanitation workers’ strike ended, the municipal corporation’s clean-up drive drew criticism from residents who alleged that roads linked to chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s visit to Ludhiana on Sunday were cleared on priority, while garbage continued to pile up across several residential localities.
The strike was called off on August 1, a day before the chief minister’s scheduled visit to inaugurate two Schools of Eminence in the city.
Residents claimed that garbage was cleared overnight from stretches around Pratap Chowk and Cheema Chowk, which were part of the chief minister’s route. However, heaps of waste continued to litter neighbourhoods including Model Town, Dugri, Gill Road near Arora Palace and Kochar Market despite the civic body’s citywide clearance drive, they allege.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We only want to live in a clean neighbourhood,” said Karan Saini, a shopkeeper in Kochar Market. “For days, customers have had to walk past overflowing garbage. If roads can be cleaned overnight for a VIP visit, why can’t the same urgency be shown for ordinary residents?”
Priyanka Sharma, a resident of Dugri, said the stench had made it difficult even to step outside. “Children and elderly people are the worst affected. We have been living with this for days, but it seems our problems are noticed only when an important person is visiting,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Priyanka Sharma, a resident of Dugri, said the stench had made it difficult even to step outside. “Children and elderly people are the worst affected. We have been living with this for days, but it seems our problems are noticed only when an important person is visiting,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Echoing similar concerns, Gurkaran Singh, who runs a business near Gill Road, said shopkeepers had been clearing the area outside their establishments themselves to keep customers from turning away. “The authorities should not have different standards for VIP routes and residential colonies. Every taxpayer deserves the same level of civic services,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, municipal commissioner Ojasvi Alankar said the corporation was working round the clock to clear the waste. “Our teams are working day and night to clear the accumulated garbage. Additional machinery has been deployed. Senior officers are monitoring the operations on the ground. We expect normalcy to be restored very soon,” he said, adding that residents facing garbage-related issues should contact the civic body’s monsoon helpline and assure them that complaints would be addressed promptly.