Residents of Phase 4 and 5 in Mohali have launched an indefinite sit-in against the Phase 5 Shahi Majra dumping ground, locking its gates and halting garbage trucks. Citing unbearable stench, health risks and unfulfilled promises, they are demanding immediate removal of the site and refusing to back down until concrete action is taken.
Councillor Ashok Jha alleged that garbage is left uncollected for months at a stretch. “Sometimes waste at the dumping ground remains for two months. The stench and unhygienic conditions have made it difficult for residents to eat or even sleep in peace. We have decided not to allow any garbage trucks to enter, which is why we are staging this permanent protest here,” he said.
The councillor, along with local residents Harbir Singh, LK Tripathi, Swarn Kaur, Uma Yadav, Kiranbir Sethi, and Hardeep Kang, said that having a dumping ground next to homes worth crores of rupees has created unbearable living conditions. “The foul smell lingers round the clock, making it hard to breathe. Even guests hesitate to visit our homes. The open garbage attracts mosquitoes, flies, and stray animals, raising the risk of diseases,” they said.
Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu, who reached the protest site, assured residents that the dumping ground would be removed by August 30.
{{/usCountry}}Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu, who reached the protest site, assured residents that the dumping ground would be removed by August 30.
{{/usCountry}}However, locals dismissed this as “mere formality” and said they would believe only in visible action and not paper promises. They claimed the administration had made such assurances in the past but failed to act.
Deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi, who joined the protest in solidarity, said he had raised the issue one-and-a-half years ago. “When the order for this dumping ground came, I stood against it. If action had been taken back then, we wouldn’t be facing this crisis today. The delay in allotting alternative land by GMADA is the main hurdle and officials are not treating the matter seriously,” he said.
“The land proposed in Samgoli is not ready—there is neither a waste-processing plant nor access roads—so dumping waste there is not feasible at present,” he added.