Ludhiana Municipal Corporation Approves Integrated Solid Waste Management Amid Heated Protests
In a session marked by high drama and repeated disruptions, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation House passed a controversial integrated solid waste management proposal on Monday. The meeting, held at Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan, saw all eight proposals, including the contentious waste project, approved without formal discussion as opposition councillors from the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vocally opposed the move.
Mayor Inderjit Kaur confirmed that the proposals were officially "passed" despite the chaotic atmosphere. The integrated project, which will operate under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, involves a private firm overseeing door-to-door garbage collection, transportation, segregation, and scientific processing of waste across Ludhiana.
Political Drama and Handcuff Protest Escalate Tensions
Adding to the spectacle, Congress councillor Gaurav Bhatti arrived at the House meeting wearing handcuffs as a symbolic protest against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Bhatti, recently booked by Ludhiana police for an alleged social media post accusing an AAP leader of soliciting money for health cards under a Punjab government scheme, dared AAP councillors to arrest him. He declared his commitment to "speaking the truth for public welfare," highlighting the deepening political rift.
Opposition councillors raised allegations of irregularities in the waste management proposal, warning that it could eliminate livelihoods for unorganised sanitation workers, particularly from the Valmiki community, who have handled solid waste collection in the city for decades. They pointed out that the cost per tonne has surged from Rs 925 to Rs 3,300, fueling suspicions of financial mismanagement.
Sanitation Workers Voice Fears Over Job Security
Outside the meeting venue, sanitation workers gathered with their carts to protest the integrated project. They argued that they already manage door-to-door collection efficiently and fear job losses if private firms take over. The workers have vowed to intensify their agitation, expressing concerns that outsourcing could threaten thousands of livelihoods.
In response, Mayor Kaur assured that sanitation workers were advised there is "no threat" to their jobs, though details on safeguards remain unclear. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 140 to 150 crore annually, or Rs 1,100 to 1,200 crore over eight years, covering all 95 wards of Ludhiana city, which houses over 20 lakh residents.
Currently, garbage collection in Ludhiana is largely unorganised, carried out by sanitation workers and small contractors. Worker unions and opposition parties continue to challenge the move, emphasizing the need for transparency and protection of existing employment in the waste management sector.
