City reels under garbage stink

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 12

The government agencies may be making tall claims of maintaining a clean environment to promote the Swachh Bharat Campaign, but the city presents a different picture as far as the work at ground level is concerned.

Heaps of garbage are witnessed across the city. Garbage usually gets piled up at collection points, from where it should be lifted regularly, for more than 2-3 days, creating unhygienic conditions.

Bhupinder Kaur, who lives near the DIG office here, says the underbridge near old courts is always filled with heaps of garbage. “The garbage is rarely lifted timely by the agencies and the scattered garbage emits foul smell for 2-3 days. The garbage has been scattered in our area for the past two days. As a result, half of the public roads get blocked with garbage and stray animals,” said she.

Another vendor in the area said he had to move to another place today, as the situation worsened after rain showers last night. “Huge heaps of garbage emit bad smell and the area looks shabby. The authorities should get the garbage lifted daily,” lamented the vendor.

V Chaudhry from A-Z Company (which has been given the contract of lifting garbage), however, said garbage was being lifted timely from all collection points. “If there are any discrepancies in some areas, it will be checked as soon as possible,” he said.

Rishipal Singh, MC Additional Commissioner, said he would immediately see into the matter and check why garbage had not been lifted.