Reckless dumping of garbage on roadsides and in public spaces has made life deplorable even in the poshest sectors of Panchkula, where residents say they are being forced to live amid filth despite spending crores to settle here.
Residents complain that illegal dumping sites have cropped up across almost every sector, be it markets or residential streets, making for a depressing sight every time they step out.
The civic apathy is also reflected in Panchkula’s sliding standing in the annual Swachh Survekshan rankings.
On the one hand, MC is planning to implement cleanliness models of Indore and other top-performing urban cities in the country to improve its cleanliness rankings, on the other hand it continues to turn a blind eye to the stinking mess right under its nose.
Residents say they have flooded the MC’s WhatsApp helpline with complaints, photos and location. But in most cases there is no action. Monsoon is only compounding their misery, as the garbage, growing in size and stench, gets scattered further, blocking drains and exacerbating health concerns.
Garbage piles are new landmarks across Panchkula, with areas like Sectors 3, 12, 12-A, 15, 16, 17, 20, Haripur village, Mansa Devi temple road and Industrial Area, Phase 1, the worst hit.
SK Nayar, president of the Citizens’ Welfare Association, warned that during rains, garbage clogs drains, causing waterlogging, while also becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes and germs that spread diseases like dengue, malaria and typhoid.
Mohit Gupta, a resident of Sector 25, said many households and markets employed private garbage collectors, who dumped waste at random locations, where it remained for days. “Their lack of civic sense is making life miserable for others,” he added.
He complained that even designated dumping spots, once covered with tin sheets, were not properly maintained, allowing waste to spill onto roads.
In the trans-Ghaggar area, waste from a weekly vegetable market near the Sector 25/26 dividing road lies uncleared for days, with nearby colonies adding to the pile. ITBP jawans training in the area also face foul smells daily.
Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal assured relief soon, sharing that MC was planning a month-long Swachhta Abhiyan, wherein all wards will be provided additional manpower and machinery to clear garbage and horticultural waste.
“The campaign will focus on the collection of household and horticultural waste. A tender, valued at approximately ₹42 lakh, has been floated,” he added.