Senior Congress leader and MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal on Sunday extended his support to residents protesting against the unhygienic conditions caused by a garbage dumping site located outside Varinder Park near Professor Colony in Phagwara. The protest was organised by local residents demanding the immediate relocation of the dump away from residential areas and regular lifting of garbage by the Municipal Corporation.
Addressing the gathering, Dhaliwal said the garbage dump has become a major source of inconvenience and health concerns for residents of Mehli Gate, Professor Colony and Guru Harkishan Nagar for a long time. He pointed out that a gaushala, Shiv Temple and Gurdwara Sahib are situated in close proximity to the dumping site, making the issue even more serious from both public health and social perspectives.
According to him, the situation is likely to worsen during the upcoming monsoon season, with an increased risk of the spread of infections due to flies, mosquitoes and stray animals frequenting the site.
Reiterating the Congress party’s commitment to safeguarding public interests, Dhaliwal said the party would strongly raise the issue before the concerned authorities and stand firmly with the affected residents. He urged the Municipal Corporation and other officials to immediately accept the residents’ legitimate demand and shift the garbage dump away from densely populated localities. Until such relocation is carried out, he demanded that a fool proof system be put in place to ensure the daily lifting of garbage from the site.
Residents participating in the protest warned that if the authorities fail to address the issue promptly, they would intensify their agitation in the coming days. Block Congress Phagwara Urban president Naresh Bhardwaj, along with other Congress leaders and citizens of the city, was also present during the protest.
