Solid waste management remains uphill task in Mandi Ahmedgarh

Solid waste management remains the biggest challenge demanding urgent attention from a team of councillors led by the recently-elected MC chief.

This is despite the fact that Ahmedgarh Municipal Council was once recognised as the best in sanitation in the Sangrur zone.

Though designated officials had been organising workshops and seminars to sensitise residents on the need of preventing contamination of the environment with non-biodegradable materials, authorities have failed to implement the ban on single-use plastics and guidelines on segregation of waste before disposal at dump, thus aggravating the issues.

Inadequate equipment, failure of the authorities in the Sanitary Department to make optimum use of equipment during past decades and lack of space for dumping the garbage were identified as major factors behind the worsening of the situation.

Issues related with collection of garbage from commercial units, vegetable vends, fruit sellers and restaurants have resulted in heated arguments among councillors owing allegiance to various political parties and scuffles among neighbors over alleged unauthorised dumping of garbage near their premises at odd hours.

Besides threatening each other with dire consequences in case of recurrence of unauthorised dumping of solid waste, some residents have chosen to initiate legal battles against those who dared to throw garbage near their premises.

“Throwing litter here is strictly prohibited. Legal action will be initiated in case of being caught,” read banners displayed outside boundary walls of some premises at local town.

Chaman Lal Dulla, a leader of Safai Mazdoor Union, said officials concerned had failed to sensitise residents of various wards about the need of segregating garbage before handing it over to the sweepers.

Meanwhile, MC president Vikas Krishan Sharma said the civic body had launched a coordinated movement to reduce the quantum of garbage by persuading masses to use jute and paper carry bags and shunning use of single-use plastics.

Adding the officials had already started organising seminars, exhibitions and workshops on the subject at various places, Sharma called upon office-bearers of various social organisations to join hands with campaign launched by the council to solve the issue by persuading residents to minimise generation of non-biodegradable solid waste on their premises.

Sharma conceded the situation had worsened due to a failure of properly using the equipment for collecting, segregating and transporting solid waste.

“Having learnt about many equipment including tractors and trolley idle for years we have asked authorities concerned to take necessary steps so that all resources are used efficiently,” Sharma added.