Stopped from dumping behind hostel, garbage collectors block Haibowal Bridge

Ludhiana: After residents of Shakti Vihar, now garbage collectors have blocked the main Haibowal Bridge by parking their rehdis full of garbage when they were not allowed to throw garbage anywhere in the locality on Saturday morning.
The civic authorities had shifted the location of garbage dump from the roadside along Buddha Nullah to the other side of drain at the backside of hostel building of Lord Mahavira College and Hospital after the Congress MLA from North constituency Rakesh Pandey and residents of Shakti Vihar blocked the traffic on Friday in a sit-in protest.
But on Saturday, the college authorities raised objections against the garbage dumping site behind their hostel premises and hence the garbage collectors were not allowed to throw garbage even at that site. The college authorities in their plea stated that there was already a dumping site behind their college building. While on one end of the Haibowal main bridge is the college building, the hostel is present on the other.
When collectors started dumping garbage at the backside of the hostel building in the morning, they were asked not to do so. The civic officials were informed after which they reached the spot, but the matter remained unresolved. The garbage collectors as a mark of protest blocked the Haibowal Bridge by parking their rehdis in between at around 10.30am to 10.45am. The garbage collectors demanded that they be given space for disposing the collected garbage, else would leave the rehdis there itself.
The principal of the college Dr Ravinder Kochar argued with the MC officials by saying that the foul smell rising from the garbage dump behind the college premises has already made it tough for the students to study, and with another dump behind the hostel, those living there will face a lot of trouble.
The councillor of ward number 92 Harvinder Pal Singh also reached the spot. After arguing for over two hours it was decided that the garbage should be dumped at the two sites around the same time when it is licfted by a truck so that the garbage is not left lying around the dump for a long time. The medical officer health Dr Vipul Malhotra said, “There is no other option except that the garbage must be lifted as soon as possible.”
Testing time for commuters
The commuters had to face the heat when main bridge over Buddha Nullah was blocked again. The cops were also deputed at the spot who blocked the entrance of the area with rope and people were told to take other routes to enter Haibowal area. Those who were going elsewhere from Haibowal were asked to take the slip roads along the drain.
Issue cropping up for Congress councillors
The relocation of garbage dump seems to have become a prestige issue for the Congress councillors as one side falls in North constituency while other side is in West constituency. A collective garbage dump can be made at one side only, but the councillors are not agreeing for the same.