PAC rues Ludhiana MC’S inaction over garbage being dumped near Sidhwan Canal site

Members of city-based civil society group Public Action Committee (PAC) on Monday filed a complaint with the executive engineer of Sidhwan Canal Division and the irrigation department against the civic body’s inaction over illegal dumping of waste near the canal site.

‘Register FIR within 2 days’

The members of PAC added that it is lawful duty of executive engineer to take action against the polluters, but he has failed to perform his duty, thus, we have given two days to get the FIR registered against municipal commissioner, otherwise we will take action against him as per the law.

Activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira said the PAC has been raising this issue for two years. “Despite our protests, the civic body never bothered to shift the garbage dump to nearby static compactor. This garbage and plastic waste falls into the Sidhwan Canal when waste is loaded in tippers, while sometimes the trash falls into the canal due to strong wind,” he said.

Engineer Kapil Arora informed, “We had filed a complaint with the irrigation department to take action against the municipal commissioner and other officials for such illegal dumping of waste. As per Section 43 read with Section 24 of The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, dumping of garbage into water body (directly or indirectly) is an offence, but despite knowing the facts, the executive engineer of Sidhwan Canal Division has failed to register an FIR against .”

SDO irrigation department Ashutosh Kumar said, “A meeting has also been conducted with the civic body pertaining to the accumulation of garbage near the Sidhwan Canal. The process of cleaning the canal would be initiated within a couple of days following which the places where garbage is being collected near the canal site will be plugged.”