No fixed time for collection of garbage, Chandigarh residents miffed

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, May 23

Promising an efficient and timely door-to-door garbage collection system, the Municipal Corporation had replaced cycle carts with two-bin vehicles nearly two-and-a-half years ago, but residents in many sectors lament there is no fixed time slot for lifting of household waste.

Civic body must Fix responsibility

There is no set time. Why should there be laxity in service when we are paying high collection fee. Responsibility must be fixed. — Kuldeep Singh Gill, chief, Bright RWA, Sector 21-B

Besides, gunny bags dangle from most of the vehicles, defeating the very purpose of making the collection system smart, they say. Further, an online mechanism promised to residents to track vehicles has remained only on paper.

Residents rue there is no fixed time for collection of waste — which varies from morning to afternoon hours — in most areas. In areas where garbage collectors turn up late, waste left outside by residents is often littered by stray dogs or cats. Hitesh Puri, chairman, Chandigarh Resident Associations Welfare Federation (CRAWFED), told Chandigarh Tribune: “There should be a fixed time for lifting of waste. This has not been observed in Sectors 22 and 43. We have been getting complaints of irregular timing from different RWAs. Those who have to leave early for work are affected the most.”

Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairman, Federation of Sectors Welfare Association Chandigarh (FOSWAC), says: “Waste is lifted at odd hours, sometimes at 9 am and at other times around 1 pm. In Sector 21, both carts and vehicles are being used for collection. There is no system. Gunny bags are hung from vehicles, leading to littering besides lending a shabby look.”

Kuldeep Singh Gill, president, Bright RWA, Sector 21-B, rues: “There is no set time for collection and the MC has failed to take preventive measures. Why should there be laxity in service when we are paying hefty collection charges, with an annual increment of 5 per cent. Responsibility should be fixed.”

There are some areas, however, where the collection is regular and on time. Vinod Vashisht, president, Government Houses RWS, Sector 22, and RK Garg, president, Second Innings Association, who is a Sector 27 resident, say waste is regularly being collected in the morning hours.

MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra says: “Collection at odd hours happens only in exceptional circumstances and is not a routine. Still, we are improving the system every day and monitoring it.”