At 351, Batala slips in Swachh rankings

Tribune News Service

Ravi Dhaliwal

Batala, October 3

Lack of unanimity among the Municipal Corporation (MC), the political class and residents over establishing solid waste pits is being cited as the biggest reason for the city slithering to the 351st rank in the all-India Swachh rankings considered to be the world’s largest urban cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation survey.

Just seven years ago, the city was pegged at the 182nd place. However, ever since then the chasm has been widening.

MC Commissioner Shayari Bhandari, who terms her rift with the Mayor as a “chapter best suited to the relics”, says 205 solid waste pits were needed if the city had to maintain some modicum of cleanliness.

“We have been able to set up 95 pits. It is for the residents to decide where to establish such sites because they are the ones who stand to benefit,” said an MC official.

The city also has to pay the price of petty politicking. On many occasions, the local MLA has stopped the identification process from moving ahead after residents petitioned him that they will have to put up with the stench.

The survey shows the city has a lot to do as far as cleanliness of drains and public toilets, door-to-door waste collection and daily sweeping in residential areas is concerned.

DC Mohammad Ishfaq said he had held several meetings with the stakeholders to deal with the solid waste problem. “The need of the hour is to ensure that the MC, MLA and residents act in unison,” he admitted.

Social activist Jagjot Singh Sandhu said the administrators lacked the will to take on the political class.

“It is high time the MC does something about the wastage originating from the industrial units. Living conditions in certain colonies are appalling,” he said.

Commissioner Bhandari says as far as improving the condition of inner city roads is concerned, the MC has chalked out a comprehensive plan. “For this we also need the help of the sewerage department which often uproots roads to lay pipes,” she said. “The skids have been put under what was once the fastest growing town of Punjab. When these will be removed is anybody’s guess,” said Jagjot Sandhu.

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