Ambala is likely to lose on all four prominent fronts, including disposal of garbage, construction of toilets, sewage system and ranking on drinking water in the town during cleanliness survey-2019 going on in the state at present by an independent NGO to submit its report.
Pollution has gripped Ambala since past many years due to neglect on the part of Municipal Corporation Ambala (MCA) to lift garbage scattered all around as blamed by the residents of twin city that Ambala is lacking far behind in all fronts.
As regard to pollution, district health depart6ment has identified more than 60% are in the town exceeds beyond danger point. Residents say, sick MCA fails to lift garbage accumulating everywhere, overflowing drains and sewerage, nearly 1000 small scale industrial units situated in thickly populated areas disposing smoke from chimneys and diesel generating sets and about 300 milk dairies functioning in thickly populated residential areas are some of the reasons for pollution in twin city Ambala. Increasing traffic chaos in thickly populated prominent markets, roads and crossings is another reason for increasing pollution.
A study by environment control experts revealed, the pollution level in most of the places in twin city Ambala have increased to 485 suspended particle matters (SPM) at present, whereas it was ranging between 320 to 325 SPM in the year 2006-07 and 2007-08 and witnessed drastic rise after this as against normal level identified as 200 SPM. According to state forest department, felling of tree and fast squeezing green area are some of the reasons for increase in pollution.
According to information by Central urban Development Ministry, in a survey in 423 prominent cities across the country Ambala Cantt was identified at 340th position as regard pollution and Ambala City was found ranking at 277th position in the country as filthy towns. However, door-to-door collection of garbage service introduced by MCA failed to bring desired results due to faulty implementation of project in-spite of the fact amount worth crores spent on this. MCA implemented another cleanliness awareness program OYE (Open Your Eyes) in the year 2018 with the help of a private agency but in-spite of spending huge amount satisfactory results could not be obtained.
It was with the help of then Ambala MP Kumari Shelja presently Rajya Sabha member, a Solid Waste Disposal Plant was installed at Patvi near the town in 2007 on which amount worth Rs 13 crore was spent by the Union Government but the same could not function even for a day due to utter neglect by the government officers as well as political reasons, residents blame as a result imported machinery of value worth crores of rupees now reduced to junk in the absence of maintenance. Sadly, MCA was unable to get NOC from its own State Pollution Control Board. I
n the year 2017, Cabinet Minister Kavita Jain during her visit to Ambala had assured not only to start Patvi solid waste disposal plant at an early but also to produce electricity and fertilizers from the wastes but over a year have passed neither plant started functioning nor it could produce electricity and fertilizers as assured to residents in the area. It is utter neglect on the part of MCA that most out of as many as 49 public toilets including few mobile toilets in the twin city are unfit to use due to lack of care, maintenance and cleanliness as most of the fittings and even seats are missing in these toilets.
