Cleaning up Malerkotla district by Diwali won’t be easy for civic bodies

Cleaning up the three subdivisions in the district by Diwali seem to be a challenging task for the civic body authorities as local politicians don’t hesitate from settling scores by deliberately blocking sewer lines and spreading garbage besides stopping residents from segregating waste.

The authorities of the civic bodies in all three subdivisions, Malerkotla, Ahmedgarh and Amargarh, have announced that the area under their respective jurisdictions would be made clean by the festival of lights. For the purpose, a comprehensive cleanliness campaign has already been launched with special focus on vulnerable areas.

Despite tall claims being made by the Union Government and the Local Bodies Department of the state, overflowing sewage and solid waste management remain the biggest impediments in implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission in the district.

People are forced to make their way through overflowing sewage and bear with the stink emanating from heaps of garbage, a common sight. Failure to implement guidelines regarding single-use plastics, inadequate space for dumping garbage and lack of infrastructure for segregation and lifting of solid waste are cited as major factors behind the poor sanitation in all three subdivisions.

There have been some incidents where sanitation workers had been exploited to settle political scores with councillors. While sewage disposal system was blocked by pushing jute bags into sewer lines, non-segregated waste was found scattered on roads leading to educational institutes and religious places.

Leaders of sanitation worker unions claimed that the authorities concerned had failed to provide required infrastructure and adequate space for segregation and disposal of garbage collected by them. The authorities also failed to sensitise residents about the need for segregation before handing over waste to civic body workers, said Chaman Lal Dulla, president, Safai Mazdoor Union, Ahmedgarh.

“We understand that providing a clean and hygienic environment to residents is the most important duty of the Municipal Council. Residents too deserve a safe and clean environment so that they can live a dignified life. Hence, we are focussing on getting every nook and corner clean before Diwali so that people can celebrate the festival with fervour,” said Vikas Krishan Sharma, president, Ahmedgarh Municipal Council, while regretting that some people with mala fide intention had been trying to complicate the sanitation work.

“Instead of being a part of the blame game, we have decided to ignore stray incidents of deliberate blocking of sewer lines and dumping of non-segregated garbage and asked our work force to accept the challenge as a litmus test,” said Sharma.

Apar Apaar Singh, Executive Officer, Malerkotla Municipal Council, said about 300 sweepers were working tirelessly to keep the city clean with the support of 33 tippers and 11 trolleys. Eight motivators and two community facilitators were deployed to sensitise residents to various aspects of the Swachh Bharat Mission.