Panchkula: Voters in distress threaten to vote for Jhuriwala

With the general elections approaching, social media is abuzz with slogans like “Jhuriwala hatao, vote le jao” (Clear Jhuriwala garbage dump and you will have our vote); “Give us a breather, we will let you win”; “No dumpsite-free Panchkula, no vote”; “Congress dekhi, BJP dekhi dhoka diya bari bari, kya ab NOTA ki bari”; and “Garbage dump hataoge tabhi, vote le paoge”.

Apart from the virtual campaign, residents protested demanding the relocation of the garbage dump, which has become a health and environmental problem. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed fines on the municipal bodies of Panchkula and Kalki ₹10 crore for violating norms in 2022. However, the problem of proper waste disposal and management persists, prompting residents to dump garbage at the Panchkula Municipal Corporation office last month in a desperate bid to address the issue.

MC does not deliver

For over two decades, residents of Sectors 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 of Panchkula, as well as residents of neighbouring Moginand and Madanpur, have been complaining about the stench emanating from the Jhuriwala dumping ground and raising concerns about possible groundwater contamination. The situation worsens during the monsoon season when water from the dumping of garbage overflows onto the streets. Residents have been complaining to government officials and the MC, but nothing has changed on the ground, despite the NGT’s allegations.

Panchkula generates 200 tonnes of garbage per day, but due to lack of a garbage processing plant, Panchkula MC has been transporting garbage to Patvi in ​​Ambala since 2023. Between 2004 and 2020, the city’s garbage was being stored in Sector 23 and then transported to Jhuriwala.

The take and the ground reality

Following the NGT orders, the MC claimed that 3 lakh MT of garbage dumped in Sector 23 and 1.03 lakh MT of waste from Jhuriwala had been cleared. In its submission before the NGT in April, the Panchkula MC had reported that only 0.45 acres out of 4.5 acres currently contains waste from the past and work of planting and sowing grass is underway in the reclaimed area.

The lack of a garbage processing facility has also affected the city’s ranking in the Swachh Survekshan, with Panchkula falling from 86th position in 2022 to 139th position in the ranking of 446 cities with a population of over 1 lakh in 2023.

Considering the inability of the MC to change the waste disposal site, the Haryana Pollution Control Board has also sent a notice to the MC demanding payment ₹20 million.

Box

What the locals say

The residents are fed up with the unhygienic conditions at the landfill. We have had enough. The political parties have no will to find a solution. They have failed to establish a waste treatment plant, despite assurances.

— Mohit Gupta, resident of Sector 25.

The residents have decided to boycott the assembly elections. Several members feel that they should elect NOTA. Whoever assures us that the dump will be relocated will get our vote.

Nitesh Mittal, coordinator of Sangram Jhuriwala Garbage Landfill Committee.

Candidates say:

The daily collected garbage is transported to Patvi. The Panchkula MC is working on decentralising the recovery centres and has appealed to the residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) and councillors to identify vacancies in their wards for this purpose.

Gian Chand Gupta, member of the BJP Legislative Assembly from Panchkula constituency for 10 years.

The BJP lacks the political will to find a solution to the problems that plague the city. During a meeting with residents of the trans Ghaggar area, I assured them that relocation of the dump would be my priority.

Chander Mohan, Congress candidate

We are determined to solve Panchkula’s problems and do it quickly.

Prem Garg, candidate of Aam Aadmi Party