Sidhwan drive turns burning issue, civic body imposes ₹25,000 fine against private school

Ludhiana: Already under fire over rising pollution in the Sidhwan canal, the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC)’s action against a private school for burning garbage during a cleanliness drive on a dry bed of the water body sparked a major row on Thursday. The civic body and district administration defended the action citing illegality in garbage burning and possible threat to schoolchildren and staff standing in the middle of the canal without permission.
Taking strict note of the activity by staff and students of a private school in Sarabha Nagar during the drive in canal, the municipal corporation imposed Rs 25,000 challan against the school.
The school staff and students were caught burning garbage near BRS Nagar canal bridge.
MC commissioner Shena Aggarwal said burning garbage is an illegal activity, and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had also taken strict note of the same in the past. A challan of Rs 25,000 has been issued in the name of school principal as per the solid waste management and sanitation bylaws, she added.
Aggarwal said the field staff has also been directed to keep a vigil and issue challans against violators who are caught dumping or burning garbage in and around the canal.
The MC officials also informed the irrigation department about the activity. The officials said before conducting the cleanliness drive, a permission should have been taken as it could have been proved risky for students had the irrigation department released water in the canal.
The issue of pollution in Sidhwan Canal had already reached the NGT. The MC commissioner, deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik and MLA (Ludhiana West) Gurpreet Gogi had visited the canal site near BRS Nagar canal bridge on November 18 and had warned the violators of strict action. The MC had also announced a cleanliness drive from January 1, 2023.
The NGT had also constituted a joint committee comprising irrigation department, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Ludhiana district magistrate and executive engineer of Sidhwan Canal wing to submit a factual report on Sidhwan Canal pollution, waste lying along the canal, encroachments on its banks as well as in area demarcated as ‘no activity zone’ within two months. The PPCB had been made a nodal agency for coordination and compliance.
Gurbhej Singh Nagi, principal of Guru Nanak Public School, Sarabha Nagar, which was involved in the activity in the canal, said, “An NCC wing of our school took the initiative under Puneet Sagar Abhiyan, a movement to clean rivers and water bodies. We have uploaded the required documents on the website. But after the drive, we were challaned by MC officials. The NCC commandant of the district was apprised of this incident, and we also gave clarifications to the officials. It is totally up to them to decide whether we did good for society or bad.”