Hundreds of sanitation workers, 22 tractor-trolleys, four dumpers, two JCBs and four loaders deployed to restore cleanliness across the city
YAMUNANAGAR | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
The Municipal Corporation Yamunanagar-Jagadhri has moved into action mode to restore the city’s sanitation system after a 36-day strike by sanitation workers came to an end. The civic body launched a special cleanliness drive immediately after the strike was called off, deploying hundreds of sanitation workers and heavy machinery to clear accumulated garbage from roads, streets, markets and public places across Yamunanagar.
The special drive was undertaken on the directions of Mayor Suman Bahmani and Municipal Commissioner Mahabir Prasad. Four Chief Sanitation Inspectors, all Sanitation Inspectors and a large workforce were mobilised for the operation. The corporation deployed 22 tractor-trolleys, four dumpers, two JCB machines and four loaders to accelerate the removal of waste from different parts of the city.
The accumulated garbage was cleared from several locations where large heaps had developed during the sanitation workers’ strike. Teams were divided across the municipal wards to ensure that the clean-up operation covered the city systematically and that sanitation services could return to normal as quickly as possible.
In Wards 1 to 7, the sanitation operation was carried out under the leadership of Chief Sanitation Inspector Harjit Singh. Wards 8 to 15 were covered under Chief Sanitation Inspector Govind Sharma, while the cleaning operation in Wards 16 to 22 was led by Chief Sanitation Inspector Amit Kamboj.
Sanitation workers cleaned roads, lanes, intersections and public places, while loaders and JCB machines were used to remove larger heaps of accumulated waste. The collected garbage was loaded into tractor-trolleys and dumpers and transported to the waste processing plant.
Major garbage accumulation points along Railway Road, Workshop Road, Jagadhri Road, Model Town and other parts of the city were also targeted during the special drive. The use of heavy machinery enabled the corporation to remove large quantities of waste more quickly than could have been achieved through manual collection alone.
After garbage heaps were removed, lime was sprinkled at the affected locations to reduce foul odour and improve the immediate condition of the surroundings. The corporation said additional efforts would continue at locations where waste had accumulated during the prolonged disruption in sanitation services.
Mayor Suman Bahmani directed officials and sanitation workers to ensure that the city’s sanitation system is restored to normal at the earliest. She stressed that the special drive should be carried out with urgency so that residents do not have to face prolonged inconvenience caused by accumulated waste.
Bahmani also appealed to residents to cooperate with the Municipal Corporation in maintaining cleanliness. She urged people not to throw garbage in the open and said keeping Yamunanagar clean and attractive was a shared responsibility of the civic administration and citizens.
The Mayor appealed to residents to hand over their waste to the Municipal Corporation’s door-to-door collection vehicles, which visit residential areas regularly. She said people should avoid dumping waste on roadsides, vacant plots or other public places, as such practices undermine efforts to maintain a clean urban environment.
Municipal Commissioner Mahabir Prasad said special teams had been deployed in the city’s main markets, roads and other sensitive areas. Additional machinery has also been pressed into service to accelerate garbage collection and transportation, he said.
The Commissioner said the Municipal Corporation was working to restore the sanitation system fully within the next one to two days. He appealed to residents to cooperate with the administration during the clean-up operation and avoid throwing waste in the open.
He also urged households to segregate wet and dry waste at source and hand it over separately to the Municipal Corporation’s door-to-door collection vehicles. Proper segregation, he said, would make waste collection and processing more effective and help the city maintain a cleaner environment after the immediate clean-up operation is completed.
The large-scale deployment of manpower and machinery followed the conclusion of the sanitation workers’ strike, which had significantly affected waste collection in different parts of the city. The civic body’s immediate response was aimed at clearing the backlog and preventing accumulated waste from remaining on public roads and in residential areas.
The end of the strike was also preceded by a series of discussions involving employee representatives, the Municipal Corporation and the state government.
Municipal Commissioner Mahabir Prasad played an important role in the efforts to resolve the 36-day strike, according to the information provided by the civic administration. On September 9, employee leader Naresh Shastri met the Municipal Commissioner in Yamunanagar, during which Prasad proposed regular recruitment against vacant sewerage posts.
The Commissioner also facilitated a telephone conversation between Shastri and Urban Local Bodies Minister Vipul Goyal. This was followed by a meeting between Goyal and Shastri in New Delhi on September 10, during which substantial progress was reportedly made towards resolving the employees’ demands.
Minister Goyal subsequently discussed the matter with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, following which employee representatives were invited for further talks on September 11.
On Friday, employee leaders held discussions in Chandigarh with Urban Local Bodies Minister Vipul Goyal and Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi. Later in the evening, at around 4 pm, the employee representatives met Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
According to the information provided, an agreement was reached on various demands during the meeting. Subsequently, Ashok Kumar Meena, Commissioner and Secretary of the department, showed the employee representatives written orders reflecting the agreed decisions.
Following the discussions and receipt of the written orders, the Chief Minister and representatives of the two employee unions announced the end of the strike later in the evening.
With the strike now over, the Municipal Corporation has shifted its immediate focus to restoring sanitation services and clearing the accumulated waste. The special cleanliness campaign is intended to bring the city back to normal conditions while ensuring that regular door-to-door waste collection resumes effectively.
The civic body has also emphasised the importance of public participation in sustaining the results of the special drive. Residents have been urged to use the designated waste collection system, segregate wet and dry waste and avoid dumping garbage in open areas.
The administration’s immediate challenge is to clear the remaining accumulated waste while simultaneously restoring regular collection services. The deployment of additional machinery and dedicated teams across the wards is expected to help accelerate the process.
Officials said the operation would continue until the accumulated garbage is cleared and normal sanitation arrangements are fully restored. The Municipal Corporation has appealed to residents to cooperate with sanitation teams and support efforts to maintain cleanliness across Yamunanagar and Jagadhri.
The end of the prolonged strike has therefore brought the city’s sanitation services into a recovery phase, with the civic body undertaking an extensive clean-up operation while the state government and employee representatives move forward following the reported agreement on their demands.
Municipal Commissioner Played Key Role in Ending 36-Day Sanitation Workers’ Strike
Municipal Commissioner Mahabir Prasad played an important role in efforts to end the 36-day sanitation workers’ strike in Yamunanagar. Employee leader Naresh Shastri met Prasad on September 9, during which the Commissioner proposed regular recruitment against vacant sewerage posts.
Prasad also facilitated a telephone conversation between Shastri and Urban Local Bodies Minister Vipul Goyal. The two subsequently met in New Delhi on September 10, where substantial progress was reportedly made on the employees’ demands.
Goyal discussed the matter with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, following which employee representatives were invited for talks on September 11. Discussions were held in Chandigarh with Ministers Vipul Goyal and Krishan Kumar Bedi, followed by a meeting with the Chief Minister at around 4 pm.
According to the information provided, agreement was reached on various demands. Department Commissioner and Secretary Ashok Kumar Meena subsequently presented written orders reflecting the agreed decisions. The Chief Minister and representatives of both employee unions later announced the withdrawal of the strike.
POD/DESK
