Lack of cleanliness, roaming stray animals expose Tarn Taran MC’s hollow claims

Tarn Taran town continues to reel under poor sanitation, leaving residents outraged over the municipal council’s lofty but hollow claims of maintaining cleanliness.

At the entry point of Mohalla Nanaksar, where a four-kanal site has been earmarked for the new public taxi stand near Rohi Wala Pul, the area has virtually turned into an open garbage dump.

For several months, heaps of refuse have been lying unattended with no signs of lifting or cleaning. The foul smell emanating from the accumulated waste has become unbearable for nearby residents and taxi operators, while stray animals and dogs — often seen roaming in packs — scavenge freely for food.

Taxi operators Karanbir Singh, Mandeep Singh and Sonu complained that dog-bite incidents involving children and women have become alarmingly frequent.

“Both sides of the Rohi drain have turned into breeding grounds for stray animals and garbage. The stench and filth have made it difficult for us to work here,” they lamented.

Garbage is also being dumped indiscriminately along the Railway Road main branch, further worsening the unhygienic conditions.

Kamaljit Singh Gill, Executive Officer (EO) of the Municipal Council, said the council had launched a door-to-door garbage collection drive to tackle the issue. “We have deputed 142 employees and 11 vehicles to collect garbage from various sub-dumps across the town,” he claimed, adding that the initiative would soon improve the sanitation situation.

However, several sanitation workers contradicted the EO’s statement, alleging that the shortage of manpower and irregular lifting of waste from major dumping sites were the main reasons behind the deteriorating condition.

Social worker Dalwinder Singh also voiced concern, saying that despite repeated complaints to the Municipal Council, no concrete action had been taken. “Even the banks of the Kasur drain (Rohi) remain choked with garbage, reflecting complete negligence on the part of civic authorities,” he said.

Adding to the civic embarrassment, remediation waste from the garbage dump on Sachkhand Road — whose clearance work began over a year ago — still lies unattended, standing as a stark reminder of unfulfilled promises under the sanitation drive.

Residents have urged the district administration to intervene and ensure that the waste is cleared at the earliest before it turns into a full-blown health hazard.