A major environmental scandal has erupted after unprocessed municipal waste from Chandigarh's Daddumajra dumping ground was illegally transported and buried in Punjab under the cover of darkness. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has filed a police complaint, leading to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) and the seizure of five heavy trucks involved in the clandestine operation.
Night-Time Operation Exposed
The illegal activity came to light on January 9, 2026, around 10:30 pm, following complaints from local resident Kuldeep Singh Kukki and Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) chairman Sunny Ahluwalia. They alerted authorities about trucks dumping garbage near Palheri village, close to Mullanpur Garibdas in New Chandigarh. A PPCB team swiftly inspected the site at geo-coordinates 30.793712, 76.685214.
During the inspection, officials seized five trucks—PB 03 BM 8797, PB 03 BM 8897, PB 65 AU 6712, PB 11 BR 6877, and PB 65 BE 9761—belonging to Tata and BharatBenz. The drivers, however, managed to flee. The PPCB confirmed the trucks contained municipal solid waste lifted from Daddumajra, which was being buried in Punjab soil instead of being scientifically processed as mandated by the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
FIR and Political Reactions
Based on the PPCB complaint, the Mullanpur Garibdas police station registered an FIR under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and BNS sections 271 and 272. The case names the waste management contractor, unknown truck owners/drivers, the landowner, and the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
Chandigarh's political figures reacted strongly. Former mayor Kuldeep Singh Tita, senior deputy mayor Jasbir Singh Bunty, deputy mayor Taruna Mehta, and AAP councillor Prem Lata jointly stated that eliminating a dumping ground should not mean polluting another state. They alleged collusion, noting that despite crores of rupees in payments, waste was not being processed. The leaders plan to submit a formal complaint to Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria.
AAP councillor Prem Lata specifically demanded an FIR against Akanksha Interprises Ltd, calling the garbage trade a "gold mine" and questioning an ₹800-crore tender. AAP Punjab general secretary Dr. Sunny Singh Ahluwalia questioned the silence of BJP leaders and asked where the funds for garbage disposal had gone.
Separate Incident Reveals More Irregularities
In a related development, a fresh controversy surfaced in Chandigarh's waste management on Sunday. A truck belonging to a city contractor, allegedly transporting Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), overturned near Labour Chowk between sectors 20 and 34 around 3:00 am. Former mayor Kuldeep Kumar and other councillors who inspected the spill found the truck was carrying wet municipal waste—including stones, pebbles, and coconut shells—instead of RDF.
This incident raised serious suspicions of large-scale irregularities, with leaders alleging garbage was being sent to another state under false pretences and demanding a time-bound investigation.
Official Response and Investigation
When contacted, Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla said she had no prior information about the FIR. She stated she would obtain complete details from her office before commenting, adding, "If the company has carried out any such act, strict action will be taken against it." She declined to comment on the allegations made by the councillors.
Investigating officer S-I Dilbag Singh confirmed the probe is underway and assured that strict legal action would be taken against the culprits upon completion of the investigation. The case highlights significant lapses in waste management and cross-border environmental governance.
