Jalandhar's Mandi Fentonganj stinks, heaps of garbage pose health threat

Despite being one of the largest wholesale grocery markets of Jalandhar, Mandi Fentonganj near railway road, continues to grapple with poor solid waste management, raising serious concerns over hygiene and public health.

The mandi, which houses around 150 to 200 shops dealing in food items, is plagued by a persistent foul smell, swarms of flies and heaps of decomposing waste lying in the open. The situation not only creates unhygienic conditions for traders and customers, but also poses a potential health hazard as the market handles essential food commodities on a daily basis.

Shopkeepers said the situation has worsened due to a large garbage dump located in the middle of the market. The dump, surrounded by shops handling food products daily, has turned into a persistent eyesore as waste often remains unattended for days.

Manav, a shopkeeper in the mandi, said the market is over 100-year-old and caters to hundreds of traders, yet it lacks basic sanitation facilities. “This mandi accommodates around 200 shops, but it does not have proper sanitation. There is a garbage dump right in the middle of the mandi which remains unattended for days. The sanitation team visits only once or twice a month to clear the garbage. Till then, we are forced to work amid the rotten smell and swarms of flies,” he said.

Traders also point out that the mandi lacks a proper sewerage system. According to them, sewer blockages occur frequently, further worsening sanitation conditions and making the market environment unhygienic for both traders and customers.

However, Subhash Puri, president of the Mandi Fentonganj Managing Committee, asserts, “Basic amenities, including cleanliness, in the mandi are looked after by our committee. However, garbage dumps fall under the responsibility of the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar.” Puri claimed that garbage is lifted every three or four days and there are no major hygiene issues in the market.

Responding to the allegations, Dr Krishan Sharma, Assistant Health Officer, Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, said the mandi is a private establishment and is responsible for managing its own solid waste. He explained that under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, private institutions such as schools, colleges and mandis generating more than 100 kg of waste per day are categorised as bulk waste generators and are required to process their waste within their premises.

He further noted that the rules empower urban local bodies to revise the threshold for identifying bulk waste generators by lowering the existing cap of 100 kg of waste generated per day to between 50 kg and 20 kg. Exercising this provision, the MC had around two to three years ago reduced the threshold in the city from 100 kg to 50 kg per day.

“They must segregate waste into wet and dry categories and ensure proper processing at the site itself. We have repeatedly asked the mandi authorities to comply with these rules, but they have failed to do so,” Sharma said. He added that although sanitation staff are occasionally sent to lift the waste after complaints, the primary responsibility of waste processing lies with the mandi authorities.

Sharma further stated that the cost of setting up a solid waste processing system must be borne by the private institution itself as mandated under the rules.