Garbage piles in CM Mann’s home city Sangrur: Residents seek urgent action from Punjab Govt
Babushahi Bureau
Sangrur (Punjab), October 28, 2026: Residents of Sangrur have sought urgent intervention from the Punjab government over heaps of garbage, overflowing sewers and blocked drains across the city, describing the situation as a public health emergency.
In a representation to the Punjab Chief Secretary, Jasinder Sekhon, writing on behalf of Sangrur residents, has demanded immediate sanitation measures, permanent waste-management infrastructure and accountability of the authorities concerned.
The representation describes a deterioration in civic conditions in the city, stating that garbage has accumulated along roads, boundary walls, vacant plots and near prominent public institutions. It also raises concerns over the impact of poor sanitation on children, senior citizens, patients and people living near garbage dumps.
Among the locations highlighted in the complaint are the entrance to the District Administrative Complex from the Ranbir Club side, the historic entrance to Ranbir Club, Government Ranbir College, Banasar Bagh and the Civil Hospital.
According to the representation, a school with more than 700 children is located approximately 30 metres from a garbage accumulation site near Ranbir Club. The complainant has also flagged the alleged use of vacant plots as unauthorised dumping grounds.
A key concern raised in the letter is the alleged absence of a permanent, authorised solid-waste processing and disposal facility for the Municipal Council. It claims that the civic body depends on privately leased land, reportedly available until mid-2028, making waste disposal vulnerable to disruptions.
The representation also alleges that an effective door-to-door garbage collection and waste segregation system has not been established across the city. It further raises concerns about the disposal of commercial waste into drains and sewers, recurring sewage overflows and blocked drainage channels.
Sekhon has also sought scrutiny of the Municipal Council House’s reported rejection of proposals for door-to-door garbage collection on two occasions, urging the Department of Local Government to intervene.
The letter questions the effectiveness of periodic solid-waste management review meetings and calls for greater monitoring and enforcement by the Punjab Pollution Control Board and other concerned authorities.
Demand for action within seven days
The representation seeks immediate removal of accumulated garbage from roads, markets, residential areas, hospitals, schools and vacant plots. It also calls for the identification of suitable land for a permanent waste-processing facility, alongside scientific disposal of residual waste.
Other demands include effective door-to-door collection and segregation, enforcement of waste-management obligations on restaurants and commercial establishments, and measures to address sewage and drainage problems.
Sekhon has requested a joint inspection by the Deputy Commissioner, Municipal Council authorities, the Department of Local Government and the Punjab Pollution Control Board. The letter seeks a publicly available action plan specifying responsibilities, deadlines and measurable outcomes.
The Chief Secretary has also been requested to direct the Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, to submit a comprehensive status report within seven days, followed by a time-bound plan to address the problems.
‘Sangrur deserves basic sanitation’
The representation invokes the right to a clean and healthy environment under Article 21 of the Constitution, arguing that sanitation is an essential public service rather than a privilege.
Highlighting Sangrur’s status as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s home city, the complainant has questioned the state of civic infrastructure and called for visible action instead of further assurances.
The letter states that residents are not seeking special treatment but basic standards of cleanliness, public health and human dignity.
The representation was also marked to the Principal Secretary and Director of Local Government, the Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban), the Executive Officer of the Municipal Council and the Executive Engineer of the Punjab Pollution Control Board.
The allegations and claims in the representation have not been independently verified. A response from the concerned authorities was not included in the material provided.