With festival season on, poor sanitation system under Opposition fire

With the festival season on, the city’s sanitation system has once again come under fire, with political and social organisations accusing the state government and the municipal corporation of making hollow claims. While officials boast of cleanliness at major markets and public places, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. Accumulated garbage, irregular lifting and overflowing bins have been reported from several parts of the city, exposing the fragile sanitation mechanism. Following the news reports, MC Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill intervened and directed Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh to carry out inspections on Wednesday.

The Additional Commissioner visited various city roads and also inspected the Dasehra ground near Durgiana Temple, where the main festival was celebrated. On-the-spot instructions were issued to Health Officer Dr Yogesh Arora and Chief Sanitary Officer Malkit Singh to ensure cleanliness at the venue. While officials maintained that round-the-clock efforts were being made to lift garbage and keep the city clean, residents questioned why action was taken only at the last minute, just before festival events. Many pointed out that temporary cleanliness drives ahead of the festival season could not replace a consistent and accountable waste management system.

Surinder Singh assured that until a new waste management company takes charge, the municipal corporation’s staff would continue regular garbage lifting in all wards. He claimed that the Dasehra ground had been thoroughly cleaned for the celebrations and that all possible arrangements were made. However, residents highlighted the gap between official announcements and execution on the ground, adding that unless strict monitoring and accountability measures are put in place, sanitation in the city will continue to remain a festival-season formality rather than a year-round priority.