Urban Estate residents stage protest, want garbage dump to be shifted

As the municipal corporation elections near, protests over long-standing issues are gaining momentum.

Following yesterday’s demonstration by the Model Town Action Committee, demanding the closure of a dump near the cremation ground, residents of Urban Estate, Phase I and II, along with members of the Phase II Market Association, staged a massive protest today, calling for the shutdown of the Jyoti Nagar garbage dump.

The protest, held outside the garbage site in Urban Estate, Phase II, from 12 noon to 2 pm, drew a large number of residents and businessmen, who voiced frustrations over the health risks, environmental hazards and financial losses due to the dump.

The protesters said the stench and unsanitary conditions had made life unbearable and businesses unviable in the area. The gathering unanimously decided to intensify the agitation if immediate action was not taken.

To pacify the protesters, the MC Joint Commissioner, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Deepak Bali, Gurcharan Channi, Pawan Tinu and halqa incharge Rajwinder Thiara visited the protest site to address the grievances. They assured the residents that their concerns would be taken seriously and promised to work towards the resolution in the public's interest.

Among the key participants were market association leaders and residents, including Ranvir Kumar, Prof Kanwar Sartaj Singh, Harjinder Singh Randhawa, Karanbir Singh, Jasjit Singh Rai and Dr Anmol Rai.

Several others, including Dr Jangpreet, Dr Ashmeet and Dr Sanjay, who closed their OPDs to lent their support to the protest, emphasised the dire health consequences of the continued operation of the dump.

The protesters announced their next course of action — a candlelight march scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30pm. The march will start from Chauhan Motor Garage, cover all four sides of the market, and culminate back at the garage.

“The residents have been demanding the relocation of the garbage dump for years, citing a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses, mosquito-borne diseases and declining property values. Local businesses have also suffered due to the unbearable odour, driving customers away from the area”, said Prof Kanwar Sartaj, who runs a café in the area.

He further said their protests would only escalate if the authorities fail to address their demands. Meanwhile, the mounting pressure by residents of various localities have made the garbage issue a litmus test for the civic authorities, who now face growing scrutiny to resolve the problem before the elections.