Protests greet waste management project
Private firm employees work under security as members of Safai Majdoor union protest against introduction; admn tells them a meeting with the CPS could be arranged
JALANDHAR: Sporadically violent protests by members of Safai Majdoor Union and the Balmiki Community marked the first day of the implementation of the solid waste management project in the district on Wednesday. Police remained on high alert and security was tightened as work started in a few wards.
Employees of Jindal Urban Waste Management Jalandhar Limited (JUWMJL) company also started door-to-door collection of waste. These employees also collected waste from various garbage dumps within the municipal limit and were seen cleaning the area. PROTESTS MARK DAY
Meanwhile, the Safai Majdoor Union stepped up their protest and staged dharnas.
The union members even physically barred the employees of JUWMJL from collecting garbage from a dump near the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). At one stage, union members even flashed swords and daggers opposite the MC building, raising apprehensions that law and order situation in the city might come under threat.
It was finally under police protection that the employees were able to collect garbage from the dump. Members of the union, however, shouted antigovernment slogans and blocked the road near the institute. 640 POLICEMEN DEPLOYED
Eight companies of police were deployed and around 640 police personnel remained on guard to ensure a successful launch of the project.
Kamaljit Minhans, a resident of the city, said, “I thought curfew had been imposed after I saw the heavy police deployment.”
The truck car rying the garbage was escorted by police vehicles till the Wariana dump. ENTRANCE TO DUMP BLOCKED
After reaching the final disposal site for the garbage at the dump in Wariana village, it was found that the entrance was blocked by a mechanical hoe. After struggling for hours, the police team was able to move the machine from the entrance and the truck carrying garbage was able to enter the dump. STATE-WIDE STIR THREATENED
The Safai Mazdoor Union members and the Balmiki Committee have threatened a state-wide stir. On Wednesday, there was trouble as union mem- bers broke the blue and green dustbins, to be distributed by JUWMJL among tricity residents. ADMINISTRATION TAKES STOCK
Union members’ protest alerted district authorities and a meeting was held between deputy commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav and Chandan Grewal, representing the union, at the circuit house here. Gurpreet Singh Khehra, who took charge as MC Commissioner on Tuesday was also present at the meeting, along with other officials.
Grewal put up an eight-point charter of demands, threatening a state-wide stir if the demands were not met. The DC assured him that a meeting will be held between chief parliamentary secretary KD Bhandari and Punjab local bodies’ director Priyank Bharti, who is in the district. THE DEMANDS
MC sources said some of the demands by union members like not allowing the private company to engage in door-todoor collection, recruitment of 10,000 sweepers and 5,000 sewerage workers and eradicating the contract system, among others, were far too much for the state government to meet. FACILITIES
Residents will be able to lodge complaint and give suggestions on a toll free number 1800-1802101 in case they face any trouble in the implemenatation project. There will be a fixed time when employees of the private firm will visit the houses for garbage collection.
Earlier when the system was not organised, people used to face a lot of trouble dealing with the the waste generated during the day, if the person collecting garbage didn’t turn up but with the new system in place hassle-free service will be provided. Even waste segregation will be easy.