Patiala, June 4
Former Patiala Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu on Thursday urged the Punjab Government to immediately release the pending rent dues of Dudhar Gram Panchayat, warning that delays could jeopardize the city’s long-planned solid waste management project.
Addressing a press conference, Bittu said he had written to the Punjab Chief Minister highlighting the seriousness of the issue and its direct impact on public health and environmental safety in Patiala.
According to Bittu, land was allotted in the village of Dudhar during 2015-16 to relocate Patiala’s garbage dumping site away from residential areas and establish a permanent waste management facility. He said the project had already secured approvals from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Punjab Government, and concerned Central Government departments, while the tendering process had also been completed.
He alleged that the Patiala Municipal Corporation had earlier been paying nearly ₹14 lakh annually as rent to the Dudhar Gram Panchayat for the land, but the current state government has failed to release the dues in recent years.
Bittu claimed that due to the delay, garbage dumping and processing activities continue in the densely populated Ghalori Gate area, putting nearly 50,000 residents at risk. He stated that foul smell, unhygienic conditions, and mosquito breeding have led to recurring outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and other infectious diseases.
The former mayor warned that if the Municipal Corporation loses control of the Dudhar land because of unpaid rent, Patiala may struggle to find an equally suitable site for future waste management operations.
He appealed to the Punjab Government to release the pending payments immediately and ensure regular future disbursements to safeguard the city’s long-term environmental and public health interests.
