Garbage crisis: Residents continue to litter in open areas defying civic crackdown

In Ludhiana, the Municipal Corporation’s warning boards stand tall but city’s streets tell another story. Despite repeated written notices, appeals and threats of challans, residents continue to litter openly.

Residents’ act of civic negligence mocks the MC efforts and erodes the city’s dignity.

Keeping in view the persistent habit of littering in public, the corporation has intensified its enforcement strategy — launching night patrols and early morning drives to catch violators red-handed. Teams are now issuing challans at dawn and after dark, targeting hotspots where illegal dumping thrives. But despite these efforts, it seems city residents don’t bother about the crackdown. Garbage keeps piling up, mocking both warnings and the watchfulness.

At Salem Tabri, heaps of waste fester near the petrol pump — once a designated dumping site, now officially closed. The MC has put up a clear signage warning against littering but residents seem to ignore the same and dump waste in the open. The warning boards stand like mute witness to a civic failure that refuses to be corrected.

Similar scenes unfold across the city. Plastic bags fluttering along Jalandhar Bypass, rotting waste choking Aman Nagar’s corners and foul-smelling mounds lining GT Road and Jassian Road. These aren’t isolated lapses — they’re symptoms of a deeper malaise — public indifference and systemic strain.

“It seems as the people have gone blind and deaf to warnings,” said an MC official, pointing to a signage that clearly prohibits dumping. “They read it, walk past it, and still toss their garbage.”

The MC recently launched a crackdown under directives of Mayor Inderjit Kaur and Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal. For the first time, teams are conducting night and early morning raids in areas notorious for illegal dumping. The health branch has been instructed to issue challans to violators. In cases where offenders refuse to provide ID, officials are visiting their homes to ensure compliance.

“Throwing garbage by the roadside will not be tolerated,” said the MC Commissioner.

“We’ve deployed round-the-clock vigilance. If needed, legal action will follow,” he said.

The drive also targets safai karamcharis who dump waste in vacant plots or on roadside stretches instead of designated collection points. “We’re not just penalising residents,” said an MC supervisor, adding that “accountability begins with those entrusted to keep the city clean”.

Mayor Inderjit Kaur emphasised the need for collective action. “The civic body and residents must work in unison. Cleanliness is not only MC’s job but also a shared responsibility. We urge citizens to extend a helping hand.”

Yet on the ground, frustration simmers. “We’ve seen drives before,” said Harpreet Singh, a resident of the Jassian Road area.

“They come, issue challans and leave. But garbage returns. Till the people change their mindset, nothing will improve,” he said.

Others blame lack of accessible waste disposal systems.

“Where do we throw trash?” asked Sunita Devi of Aman Nagar.

“Bins are either missing or overflowing. We need solutions not just penalties,” she said.

Officials insist that enforcement must go hand-in-hand with awareness. “We’re punishing and educating also,” said a health branch official, adding that education means nothing if people refuse to listen.”

The MC Commissioner said over 300 CCTV cameras had been installed at the Integrated Command and Control Centre.

“Violators caught on camera throwing garbage will have their vehicle number traced and a challan will be sent directly to their houses,” he said.

He added that by the next week, a WhatsApp helpline number would be launched, through which the people will be able to send complaints and photographs related to sanitation issues.