In the Swachh Bharat Survekshan-2023, the Municipal Corporation of VIP City Mohali secured the first rank in cleanliness across Punjab, marking a significant improvement from last year’s 113th rank. The city now holds the 82nd position nationwide. However, discrepancies arise as the cleanliness survey team may not have thoroughly inspected the entire city, given the visible presence of garbage in many areas.
Following the survey, it appears that the team may have focused on already well-maintained areas, or the Municipal Corporation might have hastily cleaned certain locations solely for survey purposes. A visit by Amar Ujala’s team to various places in the city revealed persistent issues, with heaps of garbage and filth in several areas, including Kharar, Balongi, Phase-2, Phase-1, Phase-5, 3B2, Phase-7, and Phase-10.
When traveling from Kharar to Verka under the flyover, garbage lines both sides of the road, attracting animals and posing a threat to road safety. Similar conditions exist at Patiala Ki Rao’s bridge on Airport Road and the Balongi bridge, where garbage is dumped into the river despite prohibition signs. The road from village Chapparchidi to Mohali also faces the problem of garbage accumulation.
RMC points, designed for garbage collection, often have garbage scattered around them. Near the Mataur RMC point, a vegetable market is plagued by a foul smell due to its proximity to the garbage heap, causing inconvenience to shoppers and shopkeepers. The dumping ground near Bestech Mall in Sector-66 and areas like Phase-1 and Phase-6 also face similar challenges.
The dumping ground in Mohali’s Industrial Area Phase-8B has transformed into a mountain of garbage, causing issues for locals due to foul odors and the presence of flies and mosquitoes. Despite the installation of a garbage disposal machine, the timely disposal of garbage remains a concern, leading to the formation of a significant garbage mound.
Despite a plastic ban in the city, plastic usage persists in street-corner shops for packaging goods such as water bottles, snacks, and cold drinks. The Municipal Corporation’s efforts to control plastic use seem to be unsuccessful, raising questions about the city’s cleanliness rank.
These challenges raise doubts about the accuracy of the city’s cleanliness ranking in the Swachh Bharat Survekshan-2023.
