Credit war in AAP unit over ‘shifting’ of dump in Sirhind

Factionalism in the local unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to the fore as two groups — one led by Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Lakhbir Singh Rai and the other led by Sirhind Market Committee Chairman Gurwinder Singh Dhillon — claimed credit for the shifting of dumping ground at Sirhind town.

The National Green Tribunal has already issued a notice to the Municipal Council Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib and imposed a fine for its failure to shift the dumping ground out of the town.

Three women AAP councillors — Asha Rani, Davinder Kaur and Harvinder Kaur — held a press conference and claimed that the dumping ground would be shifted to the nearby Bahadurgarh village. They claimed that the development was a result of the MLA’s efforts, who took up the matter with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The councillors alleged that previous governments did not take this problem of the town seriously.

Meanwhile, Dhillon issued a press release, claiming that the dump would be completely removed as he took up the matter with the CM during his visit to Sirhind town. He added that Mann had directed officials to remove the dump. Dhillon said the site was a great nuisance and posed a risk of spreading of various diseases.

According to information received under the RTI Act, the council set up a material recovery facility and dumped waste on the banks of Sirhind Choe without obtaining NOC, thereby playing with the health of people. The Punjab Pollution Control Board had even issued several notices to the council in this regard and imposed a fine of Rs 90 lakh, but the council neither responded to the notices nor paid the fine. The Drainage Department has warned the council of legal action.

Manveer Singh Gill, Executive Officer of the council, said he had taken the charge this week and was not aware about the issue. He said he would discuss it with the higher authorities and the departments concerned.