Garbage crisis deepens in Punjab as residents urge Chief Secretary to end Safai Sewak’s strike
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh/Sangrur, May 15, 2026: Residents of Sangrur have written to Punjab Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha seeking urgent intervention over the worsening garbage crisis caused by the ongoing strike by safai sewaks across Punjab.
In the representation sent to the Chief Secretary, residents described the situation as a major public health emergency, alleging that garbage has piled up across roads, residential areas, schools and public spaces as the municipal workers’ strike entered its tenth day.
The letter claimed that heaps of waste have accumulated near educational institutions, residential colonies and even sports facilities, creating foul smell and raising fears of infection amid soaring temperatures touching nearly 40 degrees Celsius.
Particular concern was expressed over the reported accumulation of biomedical and other waste at the cancer hospital in Sangrur, where patients from across Punjab and neighbouring states come for treatment.
Residents stated that Sangrur generates nearly 40 tonnes of garbage daily and estimated that around 400 tonnes of waste may now be lying unattended due to the prolonged strike.
The representation also highlighted the lack of proper waste management infrastructure and alleged that the city still does not have an adequate dumping site. Citizens questioned why issues related to solid waste management and garbage segregation were not being addressed on priority by the state government.
The letter further stated that recent storms and strong winds had scattered garbage across several areas, worsening sanitation conditions in the city.
Appealing for immediate action, residents urged the Punjab Government to resolve the demands of safai sewaks at the earliest and make emergency arrangements for lifting and scientific disposal of accumulated waste, especially near hospitals, schools and residential areas.
The residents also referred to Article 21 of the Constitution, stating that the right to a clean and healthy environment was being severely affected by the ongoing situation.