The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) spent ₹ 173 crore on sanitation-related works between January and August this year, including garbage clearance, door-to-door collection, manpower, vehicles and machines, and road sweeping, according to data accessed by HT from the accounts department. The expenditure also includes sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs and measures to address stray cattle and cow shelters.
Despite the spending, residents continue to report overflowing garbage, irregular waste collection, unclean roads and inadequate sweeping. “Every public place has turned into an illegal dumping hotspot as well. There is dumping everywhere, and the worst part is that there is no enforcement. Residents have also raised concerns over stray cattle. “There are stray cattle on vacant plots, near garbage dumps and at key intersections, while several animals are also seen roaming on major roads. The problem is increasing day by day, but there has been no concrete action by the civic agency to address it. Cattle block roads, occupy vacant plots and gather along roadsides. They have also attacked passersby, and I experienced it myself. “We will see a vast improvement in sanitation conditions once the new agencies take over. Rest, we are working on improving the sanitation condition of the city every day.
Savita Devi, a resident of Sector 46, said sanitation had deteriorated. Meanwhile, Pardeep Padam, ward councillor of Ward 4, said manpower shortages were affecting sanitation. “Earlier, we had around 150 sanitation workers deployed in the areas under my ward. Now, I only get around 30 sanitation employees. Neeraj Aggarwal, RWA president of Sector 52, said, “The issue is only growing.
Residents across the city are complaining about irregular door-to-door garbage collection, road sweeping and what not,” she said. “At present, Gurugram has become synonymous with poor sanitation, and this perception needs to change,” he said. With such a sharp reduction in manpower, it becomes difficult to ensure sanitation work,” he said. This needs to be tackled as a priority to ensure the safety of residents and commuters,” he said. People are often forced to take different routes when cattle block their way,” he said. An MCG official said a new agency had been awarded the tender for stray cattle. “We have launched a drive to make Gurugram stray-cattle free, and residents will see some changes on the ground,” the official said. A senior MCG official said sanitation would improve after the new garbage collection agencies take over. The road sweeping long-term tender is under technical evaluation, and we are hopeful it will be approved soon,” he said.
