‘Mohali drowning in garbage’: Mayor leads councillors’ delegation as city has no place to dump waste

“The garbage problem in Mohali is getting worse each day, but the new dumping site at Samgoli has not been developed yet,” said Mayor Jeeti Sidhu. “The land was identified years ago, but no road, boundary wall, or departmental preparation has been completed.”

Sidhu said the municipal corporation collects 100 to 150 tonnes of garbage daily, including about 50 tonnes from adjoining areas such as the Balongi, JLPL, TDI, and GMADA sectors. “This has put immense pressure on our system,” he said.

Dumping site shut on court orders

Sidhu stated that the earlier dumping site had to be shut down following orders from the National Green Tribunal and the Punjab and Haryana High Court, leaving the city with no permanent disposal point.

“Now garbage heaps are rising near residential areas, spreading stench and disease,” the mayor said.

Despite several meetings with the municipal commissioner, deputy commissioner, and secretary of the local government department, no concrete solution has emerged, Sidhu said. “If immediate steps are not taken, the city’s sanitation and health situation will deteriorate further,” he added.

Emphasising the need for urgent government support, Sidhu said, “We urgently need funds and approval to develop the new dumping site.”

Senior Deputy Mayor Amrik Singh Somal said it was shameful that a modern city like Mohali faced such dire conditions. “Unlike Zirakpur, Dera Bassi, and Kharar, which have surplus land, Mohali has none, making this issue even more challenging,” he said.

Councillor Anuradha Anand pointed out that even green waste was being mixed with regular garbage due to the lack of a separate site.

Councillor Jasbir Singh Manku said the municipal corporation’s job was to keep the city clean. “But no matter how well we manage cleaning, we still need a place to dump the waste, and there is none right now,” he said.

Garbage dumped near Singh Shaheedan Gurdwara

Councillor Harjit Singh Bholu raised serious concern about garbage being dumped near the historic Singh Shaheedan Gurdwara in Sohana, along Airport Road, saying it could spark public anger and possible road blockades.

During the meeting, the delegation met Kulwant Singh, director of the local government department, and Deepti Uppal, CEO of the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company, and briefed them on the city’s dire situation. Both officials assured prompt action.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Kulwant Singh said he would coordinate with departments concerned to ensure a dumping site is allotted to Mohali soon.

Deepti Uppal, when contacted, said she had called a meeting with the municipal commissioner and would initiate urgent measures for waste management.

“The immediate challenge is the disposal of existing waste, and we are taking special steps to tackle it,” she said.

MLA Kulwant Singh, when contacted, said, “The mayor is blatantly lying.” He added that the Phase 5 segregation point issue was also not resolved by the mayor; instead, he personally intervened and got it resolved. Furthermore, he stated that he even arranged land near the dumping ground, but the mayor did nothing there. He only indulged in making statements instead of taking action.

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