AAP leaders demolish boundary wall of garbage dump site in Jalandhar

A day after Punjab AAP President and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora pledged the removal of 28 garbage dumps across Jalandhar as a part of the party’s key promises for the upcoming elections, AAP workers launched their campaign with a demonstration at the Model Town garbage dump.

Dozens of AAP leaders, including Cantt constituency in-charge Rajwinder Kaur Thiara, leader Pawan Tinu and Ward 33 councillor candidate Aruna Arora, gathered at the site, armed with a JCB machine.

The group demolished the boundary wall of the designated dump site, with Thiara declaring, “The AAP delivers what it promises.” The leaders also used the opportunity to rally support for Aruna Arora, a former Congress member who recently joined the AAP, by seeking votes for her candidacy in the upcoming municipal elections.

The removal of garbage dumps is one of the key promises made by the AAP ahead of the Municipal Corporation (MC) polls. The party claimed that if it formed the MC house this time, it would address the longstanding issue of garbage in the city.

However, the track record of the MC Jalandhar, and even the AAP’s performance over the past 2.5 years, has been widely criticised.

In recent years, the Wariana dump site in Jalandhar, designated for the city’s collective waste, has seen an alarming increase in waste accumulation, from 700 metric tonnes (MT) to a staggering 10 lakh MT of garbage.

The city’s waste management system has struggled, with numerous designated and unauthorised dump sites becoming sources of public discontent.

The Model Town dump site, which AAP leaders targeted in their protest, was also under scrutiny by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), with the MC Jalandhar receiving notices and fines related to the management of multiple dump sites, including Chugitti, Wariana and others.

Citizens have been actively protesting against the large dump at Urban Estate, while the Model Town site has been the subject of repeated public demonstrations.

Jalandhar West MLA and Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat assured that the AAP was committed to addressing the city’s garbage problem.

“E-rickshaws are already being used to remove garbage, and more vehicles will be deployed. We are in talks with the safai sewaks’ unions to ensure timely collection of waste,” said Bhagat.

He also outlined plans to relocate the Wariana dump, which has gradually encroached upon the city, to a more suitable location, while ensuring the existing waste is treated properly.

Meanwhile, the Congress party accused the AAP of violating the model code of conduct during their recent action at the Model Town garbage dump.

District Congress Committee (DCC) president Rajinder Beri condemned the move, calling it a blatant misuse of government machinery for political purposes.

“The AAP has made a mockery of democracy by using government resources for their political gains,” Beri said. He also mentioned that several Congress candidates had faced harassment during the filing of nominations and claimed that the administration had taken no action against these repeated violations.

“We will lodge a formal complaint with the Deputy Commissioner tomorrow, and if no action is taken, we will file a writ petition,” he added.

Jalandhar North Congress MLA Bawa Henry also criticised AAP’s actions, labeling them as political gimmicks.

“Not only was today’s act a violation of the code of conduct, but an FIR should also be filed against the AAP leaders for causing damage to government property,” Henry said. He further accused the AAP of failing to fulfill its promises related to garbage collection.