Bhagtanwala dumping ground: Garbage keeps burning here from time to time, anyone listening?

Residents a harried lot as dump piled up near the Bhagtanwala grain market occasionally catches fire

Tribune News Service

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, May 15

Residents of localities around Bhagtanwala dumping ground have still not got any respite from pollution as the government hasn’t made any effort to shift the dump out of the city.

The dump piled up near the grain market occasionally catches fire as well and is up in flames since Friday. Area residents claimed that the Municipal Corporation employees don’t even visit the dump to douse the flames.

Nirmal Singh Nimma, a resident of Bhagtanwala, said: “Now, the garbage heaps are burning and emitting toxic smoke. The MC fire brigade is in high demand due to regular fire incidents in the periphery areas. So, the fire tender designated for the dump is also absent. Now, the residents have been facing a tough time due to routine fire incidents.”

Residents claimed that due to the decades-old garbage heaps, it release methane gas, which catches fire due to heat.

With the change of government, the Sanji Sangharsh Committee and area residents are, however, hopeful that AAP government would shift the dump away from the city.

“Earlier, the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress failed to shift the dump even after the pre-poll promises. They faced the consequences for not fulfilling the major demand of the area. AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar was supportive to our movement from the very first day. He is well-aware about the issue and promised in poll rallies to shift the dump. We hope he will make efforts and shift the dump,” said Sandeep Kural, office-bearer of the Sanji Sangharsh Committee.

“Residents gave a huge mandate in favour of AAP with a hope that the dump would be shifted. The shifting of the dump is the only solution. The solid waste management company failed to process the garbage. The departments concerned monitor pollution. We are expecting that the AAP government will address the issue. Otherwise, we will have to sit on dharna again this time,” said Naval Chawla, president, Sanji Sangharsh Committee.

Residentspeak

The garbage heaps are burning and emitting toxic smoke. The MC fire brigade is in high demand due to regular fire incidents in the periphery areas. So, the fire tender designated for the dump is also absent. Now, the residents have been facing a tough time due to routine fire incidents. — Nirmal Nimma, resident of Bhagtanwala

The shifting of the dump is the only solution. The solid waste management company failed to process the garbage. We are expecting that the AAP government will address the issue. Otherwise, we will have to sit on dharna again this time. — Naval Chawla, president, Sanji Sangharsh Committee

Earlier, the SAD and Congress failed to shift the dump even after the pre-poll promises. They faced the consequences for not fulfilling the major demand of the area. AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar promised to shift the dump. We hope he will make efforts to shift the dump. — Sandeep Kural, of Sanji Sangharsh Committee