Mohali: What was projected as a temporary solution to Mohali’s mounting garbage crisis has turned into another civic failure, with the Jagatpura garbage dumping and processing site failing to provide a sustainable answer to the city’s waste disposal problem.Nearly 18 months after the Mohali Municipal Corporation started using the Jagatpura site as a temporary dumping and processing ground, the facility continues to face operational hurdles, while garbage remains scattered at multiple locations across the city.The 150-tonne-per-day waste processing plant was set up at Jagatpura in March 2025 after the Punjab and Haryana High Court banned dumping of garbage at the primary dumping site in Industrial Area, Phase 8B. However, the plant functioned only for a few months before operations were disrupted amid strong opposition from local residents and airport authorities.The site has faced criticism not only over its impact on residents but also because of its proximity to the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport. Airport and Indian Air Force authorities have raised concerns over the accumulation of garbage attracting birds, particularly eagles, posing a potential bird-strike threat to aircraft approaching or taking off from the airport.Residents said the civic body had effectively shifted the garbage problem from one location to another instead of finding a permanent solution.“The MC brought the garbage here saying it was only a temporary arrangement. Eighteen months later, there is still no clear solution. We are being forced to live with the smell, flies and garbage while the authorities keep passing the problem around,” said Environment Protection Committee President Gurmail Singh Maujewal.Former councillor Kulwant Singh Kler said the issue had become a serious public-health and safety concern. “This is not merely about garbage. The foul smell, mosquitoes and stray animals are affecting residents, while the presence of large quantities of waste so close to the airport raises a serious safety question,” he said.Residents and local committees have repeatedly opposed the continued use of the site and have staged protests, besides approaching senior authorities, including the Punjab Governor, seeking its permanent closure.The processing facility has also struggled to remain operational because industries that were expected to lift processed waste for use as boiler fuel have stopped taking the material, according to sources. This has further complicated the MC’s efforts to ensure continuous processing of incoming waste.The crisis has become more acute with garbage accumulating at various small and large dumping points across Mohali. The ongoing strike by sanitation workers involved in door-to-door collection has further disrupted garbage lifting from residential areas, adding to the city’s already strained waste-management system.Repeated calls to MC commissioner Sundeep Singh Garha went unanswered.BOX | Jagatpura garbage site: Why it has become a flashpointHealth and odour: Residents complain of foul smell, flies and mosquitoes, besides respiratory discomfort, due to prolonged accumulation of garbage.Aviation safety: The site is located near Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport. Airport and Indian Air Force authorities have raised concerns that garbage attracts birds, including eagles, increasing the risk of bird strikes involving aircraft.18-month temporary arrangement: The MC began using Jagatpura as a temporary dumping and processing site after the High Court barred dumping at the Phase 8B site.Plant capacity: A 150-tonne-per-day waste processing plant was established at Jagatpura in March 2025, but its operations have repeatedly stalled.No takers for processed waste: Industrial units that were expected to lift processed waste for use as boiler fuel have stopped taking the material, affecting the viability of the processing facility.Residents demand closure: Local residents and committees have repeatedly protested against the site and sought its permanent closure from the authorities.Citywide fallout: With the Jagatpura facility unable to provide a dependable disposal solution and door-to-door garbage collection disrupted by the sanitation workers’ strike, garbage accumulation has become visible at multiple locations across Mohali.
