Mohali: Garbage dumps across Mohali have triggered a political confrontation, with Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led municipal corporation over its failure to keep the city clean.From the Shahi Majra dumpsite, where a fire broke out, to garbage heaps in Jagatpura and smaller dumping points in residential areas, the waste problem has become a key issue for the opposition.A garbage dump near a housing society in Sector 68, barely a stone’s throw from the municipal corporation headquarters, has also raised questions about the civic body’s ability to manage waste in its immediate surroundings.BJP leader Sanjiv Vashisht accused the AAP-led civic administration of failing to ensure regular waste clearance and maintain sanitation standards.“The municipal corporation is responsible for keeping the city clean, but garbage heaps are visible at several locations. When waste accumulates in residential areas and even near the corporation headquarters, it raises serious questions about the administration’s priorities. Mohali residents deserve a clean and healthy environment, not repeated assurances,” Vashisht said.Former Congress mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu said the fire at Shahi Majra and the piles of garbage at other locations reflect the need for an effective waste-management system.“The AAP govt has failed to resolve a problem that directly affects residents’ health and the city’s image. The situation in Shahi Majra, along with garbage dumps in Jagatpura, Sector 68 and other locations, demands immediate action. The administration must explain why waste continues to accumulate despite its claims of improving civic services,” Sidhu said.Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parvinder Singh Sohana alleged that the civic body had failed to provide residents with even the basic service of keeping their neighbourhoods clean.“People are being forced to live amid garbage while the ruling party talks about development. Dumps near housing societies create a persistent nuisance and raise concerns about sanitation. The administration must ensure regular collection, timely lifting and scientific disposal of waste instead of allowing garbage to pile up,” Sohana said.Opposition leaders demanded an immediate clean-up drive, regular monitoring of dumping points and a time-bound plan to prevent fresh accumulation of garbage. They argued that the condition of the sites, including one close to the MC headquarters, called for visible action rather than assurances.With the ruling party blaming the previous civic administration and the opposition holding AAP responsible for the present situation, garbage management has emerged as a fresh political flashpoint in Mohali.Mayor blames previous Congress-led MCMayor Sarabjit Singh Samana defended the AAP-led municipal corporation, saying that the present administration was dealing with the legacy of poor waste management under the previous Congress-led civic body.“We are cleaning up the mess left behind by the previous Congress-led municipal corporation. There was widespread apathy towards garbage management during the Congress regime, and the problem cannot be resolved overnight. Our stand is firm — we want to make Mohali a garbage-free city, but it is taking time because of the situation we inherited,” Samana said.The Mayor maintained that the administration was committed to improving sanitation and addressing the city’s waste-management problems.
