Messy plots: Deadline ends, it’s up to MC to act now

Ludhiana: With 3-day deadline given to residents to clear garbage from vacant plots coming to an end, MC officials have been directed to prepare a list of such plots whose owners have not complied with the orders.
The MC will serve notices on such plot owners.

On October 5, the civic body had issued a public notice giving three days to residents to clear garbage in vacant plots. MC had taken such a step for the first time, especially in case of vacant plots.

The officials cited that despite regular sanitation drives being carried out in the city, garbage piled up in vacant plots affects ranking in Swachhta Survekshan. The officials claimed that in case people don’t listen, they will start fining them.

The sources said though MC imposes a fine worth Rs 500 for littering, people would be fined at least Rs 5,000 in these cases.

Ashwani Sahota, chief sanitary inspector and nodal officer for Swachhta Survekshan, said, “We have been told to bring detailed lists of such plots from where garbage was not removed by residents in given time period.”

He said they have been given time till Tuesday and after this they will be able to serve the notices to defaulters. “In case, we clear the garbage from plots, then owners will have to bear the expenses,” he added.

Use 600 sanitation staff as sewermen: Mayor

In a meeting with the operation and maintenance cell officials on Saturday, mayor Balkar Sandhu asked the officials to bring back 600 sanitation employees from health branch of MC to O&M cell because they are drawing salary from their department but are working somewhere else. The mayor said as there is a shortage of sewermen in O&M cell, he would first adjust employees from within the department and only then will go for fresh recruitment.