Displacing dumping yard, headache for ministers

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 13

Even six months after the formation of new government, the Congress leaders failed to find an alternative site to shift the dumping yard from Bhagtanwala. However, Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Minister for Local Bodies, said he was still searching land.

Navjot Singh Sidhu said, “We found a piece of land but that was 40 kilometer away from the city. The transportation of garbage is not feasible. Then we got another option of land but it belongs to the Forest Department. We have sent several letters to the concerned departments. We are searching for better options”.

The senior Congress leaders including Navjot Singh Sidhu and MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria had promised the residents of Bhagtanwala area that they would shift the dumping ground from Bhagtanwala to away from the city after formation of government.

Meanwhile, the former Congress leader, Mandeep Singh Manna, alleged that Navjot Singh Sidhu misleading the residents with fake promises.

Manna alleged, “Sidhu do not want to set the solid waste management project in the city. He is making lame excuses to divert the attention of public from his failure. He makes such promises before every election and never delivers”.

The residents of Bhagtanwala fought a long struggle against the dumping yard. They were hopeful that the Congress government would address their long pending demand. However, the Local Bodies Minister has been assuring the residents that he has been locating an alternate site of installing solid waste management plant.