MC faces flak over uncollected garbage in Chandigarh around Diwali

At least 20% more garbage was collected from across the city on and around Diwali. While the Medical Officer Health (MOH) wing of the MC claimed that sanitation staff was working overtime, residents are not happy with the pace of the work.

Residents said the garbage scattered all over the city was not only giving it an ugly look, but also causing an unbearable stink. They said sanitation workers piled up the trash collected from the markets and residential areas at many places, including Sectors 21, 22, 23 and 36, but no one came to lift those heaps.

The city generates around 450 metric tonnes (MT) of garbage daily on normal days and half of it is organic waste. Around Diwali, the quantity of garbage increased by 20 to 25%.

‘Getting 50-70 tonne more for past week’

The city generates around 450 metric tonnes (MT) of garbage daily on normal days and half of it is organic waste.

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The MC lifted 507 MT of waste on October 18, 464 MT on October 19, 133 MT on October 20, 519 MT on October 21 and 556 MT on October 22.

MOH officials said the MC had been receiving 50 to 70 tonnes of additional garbage daily for the past one week.

MOH officials said the MC had been receiving 50 to 70 tonnes of additional garbage daily for the past one week. They said lifting remained less on the day of Diwali, but was paced up later with sanitation staff working in extra shifts.

The MC lifted 507 MT of waste on October 18, 464 MT on October 19, 133 MT on October 20, 519 MT on October 21 and 556 MT on October 22.

MC Commissioner Amit Kumar said he daily visited various places in the city to know the ground reality. He said he had also instructed all senior staff members of different departments to report if they found heaps of garbage on roads.

Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairman of Federation of Sectors Welfare Association (FOSWAC), said garbage heaps in various parts of the city exposed the neglect of the civic authorities.

Sanjiv Chadha, president of Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said the condition of

dustbins in the markets was not good. Broken bins had not been replaced in several markets. Due to this, people throw garbage anywhere, adding that uncollected garbage in many markets was tarnishing the city’s image.

Ajay Jagga, member of the Administrator’s Advisory Council, said people litter streets with garbage at night instead of dumping it at designated places.

RK Garg, a social activist, said strict night checking was required to stop this practice.

Mauli Jagran and Manimajra residents claimed that garbage was not lifted from several places in their areas.