Sidhwan Canal still far from being clean

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh

Ludhiana, May 6

Despite continuous appeals from environment activists, the municipal corporation has yet to take action to remove the garbage dump on the banks of Sidhwan Canal on Gill road, Ludhiana. Solid waste can be seen lying in the canal at different locations.

Back in 2022, two city residents had lodged a petition regarding pollution in Sidhwan Canal with the NGT. They had voiced concerns over the dumping of solid waste, plastic bags and other non-biodegradable materials into the canal. They had also highlighted the issue of the garbage dump polluting the canal. However, the dump remains uncleared and hasn’t been removed or relocated to a suitable site.

In March, the MC informed the NGT that it had completed the process of removing solid waste from the canal. According to the NGT order dated March 11, 2024, the MC’s counsel stated that

100 per cent of the garbage had been cleared from the canal. However, this assertion was challenged by one of the petitioners.

Previously, the MC had provided information to the Tribunal that it had commenced construction of a compactor site after completing necessary formalities with the Punjab State Mandi Board. The MC indicated that construction work would be completed by April 20.

One of the petitioners associated with a public action committee, Kapil Arora, stated that the MC had to relocate the garbage dump, located along Sidhwan Canal, to the identified compactor site, which was slated for completion by April 20. He said that MC has failed to remove or shift this garbage dump.

Another petitioner, Kuldeep Singh Khaira, said the civic body has failed to remove the garbage dump to date. He said they had also raised objections to the MC’s affidavit, in which the officials claimed that 100 per cent of the garbage had been cleared from the canal.

Khaira alleged that waste could still be observed in the canal stretch between Gill road and Lohara bridges. He alleged this stretch of the canal was not cleaned in the past. They will raise this matter in the upcoming hearing, he added.

The upcoming hearing in this case is scheduled for May 14. When questioned about the timeline for removing the garbage dump located near the Sidhwan Canal bank, Dr Vipul Malhotra, MC’s health officer, said once the waste compactor site is operational in Dana Mandi, the garbage dump will be transferred there. He added the MC’s B&R Branch oversees compactor-related tasks.

The MC’s executive engineer (B&R Branch) could not be reached for comment.

False assertions

• In March this year, the MC informed the NGT it had completed the process of removing solid waste from the canal
• According to the NGT order dated March 11, 2024, the MC’s counsel stated that 100 per cent of the garbage had been cleared from the canal
• Previously, the MC had informed the Tribunal it had commenced construction of a compactor site after completing necessary formalities and indicated the construction work would be completed by April 20

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