HC orders Gurugram commissioners to inspect waste management

The inspections aim to identify inefficiencies in garbage removal and ensure adherence to waste management standards

Updated on: Dec 31, 2024, 05:22:04 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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The Punjab and Haryana high court has appointed 19 local commissioners to inspect cleanliness across Gurugram on January 2 and 3, 2025, in a move to address complaints regarding the waste management system in the district. The inspections aim to identify inefficiencies in garbage removal and ensure adherence to waste management standards. Findings from these inspections will be submitted to a committee led by a retired sessions judge, which will determine penalties for municipal officials found negligent.

Municipal commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg assesses sanitation in Gurugram Sector 67A on Monday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The court’s action follows a petition filed by Sector 14 resident Pankaj Yadav, who highlighted the civic crisis during a two-month strike by municipal sanitation workers last year, leaving the city overwhelmed with garbage. Taking serious note of the inefficiency, the court reprimanded municipal officials for their failure to provide accurate data on waste management.

Structure and scope of inspections

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has divided the city into 19 zones for inspections, with each local commissioner responsible for a specific area. The commissioners, supported by 19 nodal officers, will evaluate garbage collection practices, cleanliness, and adherence to waste disposal protocols. Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have been instructed to nominate representatives to interact with the commissioners during their visits.

“The district has been divided into 19 zones for this purpose, and each local commissioner has been given specific responsibilities,” said MCG commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg. “This inspection is vital to improving the city’s cleanliness and addressing recurring waste management issues,” he added.

The MCG has also issued public notices, encouraging residents to report unaddressed garbage piles during the inspections. “This is a critical step towards transparency and accountability in waste management. With structured oversight, we can address systemic issues and ensure lasting improvements,” said an MCG official.

Residents’ concerns and reactions

The initiative has been welcomed by residents who have long endured waste management failures. “We have been living with garbage piles around our homes for months. This inspection gives us hope for real action,” said Rajkumar Yadav, president of the RWA in Sector 46.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More