Post-Diwali, garbage chokes city, satellite towns; exposes gaps in sanitation response

While Diwali brought a festive glow and economic cheer to Ludhiana, it also left behind a grim trail of uncollected garbage, plastic waste and civic strain.

Over the fortnight of celebrations, the city generated over 1,800 tonnes of additional waste, with 250 tonnes added on the Diwali night alone. This surge came in the form of non-recyclable plastic gift wraps, packaging materials and firecracker residue — a byproduct of unchecked consumerism and celebratory excess.

Despite Municipal Corporation’s efforts, including extra rounds of garbage collection and deployment of additional machinery, many areas remained littered for days.

“We’ve asked the contractor to increase the number of rounds at compactor sites and deployed additional machinery to manage the Diwali waste surge more efficiently,” said MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, emphasising the need for rapid response during high-volume periods.

“We’ve instructed sanitation teams to carry out garbage collection both in the morning and evening during the festive season to ensure the city remains clean and welcoming for residents and visitors alike,” said MLA Ashok Prashar.

Yet, residents reported a mixed picture. “Garbage in colonies was cleared but city interiors and markets were still strewn with waste,” said a local resident from the Civil Lines. “Not only during Diwali — garbage can be seen littered on various roads throughout the year. The festival just adds to the mess,” added Harshdeep Singh from Ghumar Mandi.

In Doraha, the situation was particularly dire. Heaps of garbage lying unattended for four consecutive days after Diwali, with collection resuming only by the afternoon of the first working day.

Residents and shopkeepers grappled with foul smells and unsanitary conditions. “The council and its employees need to be given lessons on hygiene so that they may realise it is their duty to ensure cleanliness in the town,” complained a student from the local college, pointing to the deplorable state of College Road, where garbage and grain seemed to be kept side by side.

MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura assured: “I will definitely look into the matter and make amends at the earliest.”

The strain on secondary and main dump sites was evident, with sanitation workers and private contractors working overtime, often through public holidays. However, the sheer volume of waste overwhelmed the system.

In Ahmedgarh, Amargarh, Malerkotla and Raikot, civic bodies claimed to have managed the surge by persuading sanitation staff to work overtime. Chander Parkash Wadhwa, executive officer at Malerkotla and Amargarh, acknowledged the chronic resource crunch but credited staff commitment and long-term efforts such as strengthening Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for averting a crisis. “Employees working overtime will be compensated,” he added.

Harpreet Singh, sanitary superintendent at Ahmedgarh and Raikot, pointed to low public awareness about the ban on single-use plastics as a major hurdle. “Had our staff not agreed to work on holidays, it would have been impossible to maintain basic cleanliness,” he said.

Ahmedgarh MC president Vikas Krishan Sharma echoed this, citing lack of proper dumping space as a persistent challenge.

(With inputs from Mahesh Sharma and Lovleen Bains)