Litter along Malwa roads threat to humans, animals: Locals

Environmentalists and residents across parts of the Malwa region have voiced strong concerns over unchecked environmental degradation and blamed successive governments for failing to initiate effective awareness campaigns and sustainable waste management practices.

Locals lament that essential aspects of environmental conservation—such as educating people on the causes and consequences of pollution, promoting waste reduction, and establishing recycling programmes—remain glaringly absent.

Across various roads and localities in Ludhiana, Malerkotla, and Barnala districts, heaps of garbage, including non-biodegradable disposables, leftover food, and used diapers are becoming an everyday sight. This not only mars the landscape but also poses serious health hazards to humans and grazing animals.

Adding to the problem, waste generated from social, religious, and political events—especially around dhabas, roadside kiosks, restaurants, hotels, and marriage palaces—often goes uncollected. The problem worsens during festivals and wedding seasons when the volume of gift packaging and plastic waste increases significantly.

Authorities have consistently struggled with solid waste management, particularly in both urban and rural civic bodies. Despite the directives of the Swachh Bharat Mission, including a ban on stocking and using single-use plastics, implementation remains poor.

Owners and managers of establishments violating guidelines of the Swachh Bharat Mission go scot-free in absence of complaint from stakeholders including passerby, grazers and inhabitants of nearby localities.

Residents regretted that officials of PWD and the Forest Department remained silent spectators towards the dumping of pollutants, most of which are health hazards.

Key roads such as Ludhiana-Malerkotla Road, Sahnewal–Pakhowal Road, Mullanpur-Raikot road, Raikot-Jagraon road, Raikot-Barnala road , Malerkotla-Raikot Road and Pakhowal-Jodhan Road are among passages where scattering and dumping of non-biodegradable wastes is rampant.

Officials from departments like PWD and Forest have been accused of inaction, failing to address the illegal dumping that now poses traffic hazards in addition to environmental damage.

Sanitary Inspector Harpreet Singh of Raikot and Ahmedgarh admitted the issue and stressed the need to sensitise office bearers of rural bodies to take both persuasive and punitive measures. “While the issue is occasionally highlighted by some environmentalists and ecologists through social media, none of the authorities take suo motu notice of the violation of guidelines of the National Green Tribunal and Swachh Bharat Mission,” said Singh acknowledging that owners and managers of establishments situated outside the municipal limits are cautioned against violations at the time of issuance of renewals of mandatory permissions.

Ludhiana