After public outcry, waste removed from Ghaggar banks in Panchkula

A day after images of Ghaggar banks littered with waste triggered public criticism, workers of the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) today reached the Chhath Puja venue and began a cleanliness drive.

The move came nearly 24 hours after environment activists and residents flagged the neglect at the state-level celebration site, where heaps of floral offerings, polythene bags and food waste lay scattered in the aftermath of Chhath rituals on Monday and Tuesday.

Today morning, a team of sanitation workers arrived at the “ghat” to remove waste, soggy flowers and demolish temporary bamboo fixtures installed for the festival. Tractor-trailers ferried garbage from the riverbank as workers swept the approach road and riverfront steps. Officials confirmed that more than a truckload of waste was removed by noon. The drive continued through the day.

Residents, however, said the delayed response underlined a lack of planning. “The cleaning should have begun the same night or at least early yesterday morning. Faith gatherings are welcome, but what about accountability?” asked Sunita Devi, a local resident who visited the ghat this morning.

Activists from Save River Ghaggar Campaign, who had raised the alarm about the neglect yesterday, welcomed the cleanliness drive but demanded a system in place for future events. “It is good that clean-up has finally been undertaken, but this cannot be an afterthought every year,” said Mohit Gupta, the group’s co-founder. “Authorities must ensure dustbins, segregation points, and immediate post-event sanitation.”