PATIALA – The city of Patiala is struggling with a significant post-Diwali garbage crisis, marked by large heaps of uncollected waste, including empty sweet boxes and burnt firecracker debris, scattered across public areas.
The mess is a result of the city’s severe infrastructure shortfall: while the daily waste generation climbed to 225 tonnes during the festive season (up from 220 tonnes normally), the Municipal Corporation’s (MC) processing capacity remains at only 195 tonnes per day. Furthermore, the solid waste management plant is reportedly functioning at a “snail’s pace,” only carrying out bioremediation of 263 metric tonnes of legacy waste daily against an installed capacity of 1,000 tonnes. The MC must clear approximately 1.43 lakh tonnes of accumulated waste.
Administrative Response and Local Woes
MC Health Officer Dr Navinder Singh stated that the civic body has reduced garbage collection points from 42 to 18 and is currently working on a “war footing.” New MC Commissioner Paramjit Singh has vowed to streamline waste lifting and processing. The MC is also working to install five static compactors and has earmarked three acres of land for a new processing facility.
The crisis is particularly acute in surrounding towns. In Nabha, which is already battling a dengue outbreak, residents complained of an unbearable stench, with local sources blaming poor civic management and a halt to sanitation and fogging drives due to recent administrative issues at the Municipal Council.
City residents voiced frustration over the continuous neglect, with Balwinder Singh of the Factory Area noting, “The issue of garbage has been raised several times, but nothing has changed.” AAP MLA Ajitpal Singh Kohli confirmed he has taken up the matter with the MC Commissioner.