Mohali residents write to CM over waste issues, demand action

In a letter submitted to the CM office, the residents accused civic bodies of failing to comply with legal and environmental directives, including multiple orders from the National Green Tribunal and the Punjab and Haryana high court

The Confederation of Greater Mohali Residents Welfare Associations has appealed to the Punjab CM, urging immediate intervention to resolve the region’s long-standing solid waste crisis. Representing 65 RWAs, the Confederation has raised concerns about unscientific dumping, poor sanitation, and environmental violations that have persisted for over two decades, posing a direct threat to public health and aviation safety.

The residents alleged that repeated promises, failed relocation attempts, and lack of coordination between agencies like GMADA, the MC, and other departments have allowed the crisis to fester. (HT File)

In a letter submitted to the CM office, the residents accused civic bodies of failing to comply with legal and environmental directives, including multiple orders from the National Green Tribunal and the Punjab and Haryana high court. Despite clear rules under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the association claimed that garbage continues to be dumped illegally in several areas, including Sector 58 (Sahimajra), Phase-11, Sector 48-C, and adjoining villages.

Raising alarm over air safety, the letter pointed out that the Phase-11 dumping site lies barely 1.5 km from the international airport and the air force station. They stated that authorities from the civil aviation department and the commander of air force’s 12 Wing have already flagged this as a serious hazard.

The residents alleged that repeated promises, failed relocation attempts, and lack of coordination between agencies like GMADA, the MC, and other departments have allowed the crisis to fester. They acknowledged the government’s proposal to shift waste processing operations to Janjheri village on Chunni Road as a welcome development, but insisted that it must be treated as a state-level mission with binding timelines.

The residents body demanded that further dumping at existing sites be stopped immediately and that clear timelines be fixed for the relocation to Janjheri. They also called for the formation of a high-level task force, scientific assessments of the new site, community consultations, and the development of decentralised waste solutions such as composting and biogas units.