Taking serious note of scattered garbage and poor sanitation arrangements in several parts of the city, Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Neeru Katyal on Saturday conducted surprise inspections in different areas and issued show-cause notices to the sanitary inspectors concerned over lapses in cleanliness work.
The inspections were carried out early in the morning in various areas, including Haibowal Road, Sarabha Nagar, Pakhowal Road, BRS Nagar, Gill Road and Dholewal Road, after repeated complaints were received from residents regarding unattended garbage dumps and irregular lifting of waste.
Garbage lies unattended on a road in Ludhiana. Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan
During the checking, heaps of garbage were found lying at several locations while sanitation arrangements in some areas were also found unsatisfactory. According to information, the MC Commissioner expressed displeasure over the slow pace of garbage lifting and poor monitoring by field staff.
Following the inspection, show-cause notices were issued to officials and employees concerned for negligence in sanitation duties. She directed sanitation teams and contractors to ensure regular sweeping and timely lifting of waste from all vulnerable points in the city.
In official directions issued after the inspection, the MC chief stated that daily surprise checking of sanitation work started from 7.30 am onwards on Saturday in different zones of the city. Officials had been warned that negligence in cleanliness work would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken against those found responsible for lapses.
She stated that teams inspected the affected areas and found that the problem was mainly caused due to plastic waste, bottles and other garbage being thrown into sewer lines, leading to blockages. Officials said sewerage staff were deployed to clear choke points and restore normal flow. The department had appealed to residents and shopkeepers not to dump waste into sewer lines, warning that strict action could be taken against violators to avoid such incidents in the future.
Residents have been raising concerns over increasing garbage dumps and foul smell in several residential localities during past few weeks. The civic body has now intensified monitoring ahead of the monsoon season to improve sanitation conditions across the city, she said.
