No dump site available, Mohali’s garbage mgmt crisis worsens
Phase 5, 11 plants in city face opposition from locals, proposed Samgoli plant to be operational in two years
Despite repeated efforts by the Mohali municipal corporation to manage waste, the city is grappling with a severe garbage crisis with daily collection and disposal coming to a standstill. The problem has intensified after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the closure of the existing dumping ground Phase 8, leaving the civic body with no formal site to dump and process nearly 160–170 metric tonnes of daily waste generated by the city and surrounding areas.
A special house meeting convened on Monday by mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu to discuss the worsening garbage situation failed to yield an immediate solution. Municipal commissioner Parminder Pal Singh informed councillors that he would soon hold talks with GMADA officials to identify alternate sites, either temporary or permanent, until a new Compressed Biogas (CBG) waste processing plant at Samgoli village in Dera Bassi becomes operational, a process expected to take at least two years.
“The city presently has two garbage processing locations — Phase 5 (Shahimajra) and Phase 11 (Jagatpura) — but both are already facing fierce opposition from surrounding residents. Taking a serious note of increasing bird activity posing risks to aircraft, the Chandigarh International Airport Limited and Indian Air Force have already asked us to stop the Jagatpura plant at the earliest and remove the garbage, leaving no site to dump and process the waste,” the municipal corporation commissioner said.
“The GMADA has recommended one more site in Jagatpura but due to the same reason, we denied the proposal. We have requested them to identify more sites,” he added.
Locals have repeatedly complained of foul smell, mosquito breeding, unsanitary conditions and rising health concerns. The meeting agenda highlighted that the demand to shift both the processing sites has intensified, bringing the situation to a critical point.
Mayor Sidhu acknowledged that despite various efforts, there has been “no significant improvement,” urging authorities to expedite road construction and other infrastructure work to facilitate the Samgoli plant.
City councillor and former deputy mayor Manjit Singh Sethi suggested that the civic body should start preparing project plans, floating tenders and consider unutilised GMADA land near Baling village,which is lying unutilised, for waste management until the Samgoli project is completed.
Verbal spat erupts during MC meeting over inclusion of villages
The political storm erupted after the mayor announced that several localities — including Aerocity, Sectors 81 to 86, Sectors 91 to 94, and Industrial Area Sectors 73 and 74 — are proposed to be brought under the expanded limits of the Mohali Municipal Corporation. AAP councillors opposed the move, arguing that previously included villages have not seen significant development and demanded that the corporation address these gaps before further expansion.
“Before adding more villages, laws should ensure that these areas receive priority development. Residents pay MC taxes but are not getting benefits,”said Sarabjeet Singh said.
Mayor Sidhu responded by questioning AAP’s opposition to the expansion.
Sarabjeet then started targeted the mayor over inclusion of Balongi area and alleged, “You have illegally occupied Shamlat land and you are adding more villages for the same reason.”
To this, the mayor also responded and said, “We also know who occupies illegal land in Mohali and how your father has become a leader”.
The verbal spat continued for minutes until city councillors intervened and asked them to discuss garbage management.
