Jaisalmer landfill controversy escalated after videos showed rotting cow carcasses, prompting the civic body to cancel the contractor’s agreement and seek a report.
2 min readJaipurUpdated: May 25, 2026 09:17 PM IST
As pressure mounted, the Jaisalmer Municipal Council issued a statement saying it had taken cognisance of the matter and blacklisted the contractor. (Express Photo)
Rotting cow carcasses at a municipal landfill in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer have sparked allegations of negligence, prompting the civic body to terminate the local contractor’s services.
Videos from a landfill on Ramgarh Road, around 7 km from the district headquarters, circulating on social media showed hundreds of rotting carcasses, with residents and cow protection groups demanding immediate action.
As pressure mounted, the Jaisalmer Municipal Council issued a statement saying it had taken cognisance of the matter and blacklisted the contractor, Goparam, a resident of Suwala in Barmer. The council cited gross violations to cancel his contract.
“A video of dead animals in a dumping yard within the Jaisalmer Municipal Council area went viral on social media on May 24, 2026. The Municipal Council immediately took cognizance of the matter and found that the carcass bone contractor had been dumping the carcasses in the dumping yard instead of disposing of them at the designated site,” the statement said.
It added: “The Nagar Parishad had issued a notice to the carcass bone contractor with immediate effect. The contractor did not respond to the notice nor did he dispose of the dead animals. The dead animals scattered in the dumping yard were disposed of at a site identified by the Nagar Parishad at its own level.”
The civic body said it had cancelled the contract and confiscated the security deposit. “Also, the contractor has been blacklisted from participating in any contract in Nagar Parishad Jaisalmer in future,” the statement added.
After the videos drew outrage, a team from the Municipal Council’s Public Health Wing and Sanitation Department used JCB machines and vehicles to dig deep pits within the landfill to bury the carcasses.
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District Magistrate Anupama Jorwal has sought a report on the incident.
Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India's most culturally and politically vibrant regions.
Expertise and Experience
Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to "read between the lines" of government orders and court rulings affecting the public.
Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas:
Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan's nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight.
Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women.
Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use.
Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. ... Read More
