As MC polls nearing, residents plan protests

While leaders are getting ready for the MC elections, residents on the other hand are planning protests.

Fed up with mere promises from the Municipal Corporation, Joint Action Committee members, who have been raising their voice against the garbage dump near crematorium, have announced an indefinite protest from December 8.

"We are fed up with the lollipops that are being given by the authorities. They have not given us any permanent solution. Now, the MC elections have been announced and nobody will want us to hold any protest, but how long should we suffer now. This isn't acceptable," said Jaswinder Singh, president of the Joint Action Committee.

The Joint Action Committee of Model Town residents had also hoisted the flag on August 15 asking for 'azadi from dump'. The committee members have been protesting against the garbage dump in their areas for a few years. They had raised the issue of lack of cleanliness and waste accumulation in their area too.

"No one can rob us of our right to live in clean and hygienic conditions. We have not only taken up this matter with officials of the Municipal Corporation, but also with officials at the state government. We have written to the Chief Minister, but nothing has happened,” members of the committee said.

During a press conference that was held by the committee some time ago, members said they were unable to live in such conditions. “Come to the place and no one will be able to stand for even five minutes there. An unbearable stench emanates from the area all the time. Reptiles, mosquitoes and other insects have made the situation worse,” they said.

This is not the first time they raised this issue that has been troubling them.

Residents of the Model Town area had also held a candlelight march. They had said the march was held in the memory of those who lost their lives due to problems arising from the dump site. Protesters were seen holding placards bearing slogans like ‘Not smart, but welcome to Garbage City Jalandhar’ and ‘Enough is Enough’.