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Panchkula residents boycott BJP candidate over absence from dump debate

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Panchkula residents boycott BJP candidate over absence from dump debate

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Residents of the trans-Ghaggar sectors in Panchkula on Sunday unanimously decided to boycott BJP candidate Gian Chand Gupta, also the incumbent MLA, in the upcoming Haryana assembly elections due to his absence from an all-party debate focused on the Jhuriwala dumping ground.

Congress candidate Chander Mohan addressing residents during the debate at Jhuriwala dumping ground in Panchkula on Sunday. (HT Photo)
Congress candidate Chander Mohan addressing residents during the debate at Jhuriwala dumping ground in Panchkula on Sunday. (HT Photo)

The debate, organised by the Sangram Jhuriwala Dumping Ground Committee, aimed to address the long-standing garbage dumping issue over which the residents of trans-Ghaggar sectors — Sectors 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 31, Madanpur, Moginand and Tribune Mitra Vihar — had earlier decided to boycott the October 5 elections .

Nitesh Mittal, convener of the committee, highlighted that Gupta’s failure to attend signalled his disregard and insensitivity towards residents’ concerns, as the issue was also absent from his election manifesto. Consequently, they had unanimously decided not to vote for Gupta.

In contrast, Congress candidate Chander Mohan assured residents that he would resolve the Jhuriwala issue by January 1, 2025, pledging to relocate the dumping ground away from residential areas.

“If I fail to do so, I will resign the very next day. If you want, I will hand over my written resignation even before taking oath. What more surety can I give?” he promised to residents.

He added, “My resolve is to restore Jhuriwala back to a forest and undertake efforts for animal protection.”

His son Siddharth Bishnoi, supported Mohan’s promise, saying, “I will not rest till the issue is resolved. I will join the residents’ protest if the issue remains unaddressed.”

Have a solid strategy, says AAP’s Prem Garg

Aam Aadmi Party candidate Prem Garg stated that he was continuously working to resolve the dumping ground issue in Chandigarh and had a solid strategy for Jhuriwala as well.

“Dumping at Jhuriwala will be completely stopped, and a system will be established to reduce waste generated from homes and ensure proper segregation,” he assured the residents.

Detailing his plans, the AAP candidate said he planned to find an alternative location quickly and temporarily send the city’s waste to a processing plant in a way that minimised issues for nature and residents.

JJP-ASP candidate assures to restore Jhuriwala to natural state

Meanwhile, Jannayak Janata Party and Azad Samaj Party candidate Sushil Garg reiterated his opposition to the dumping ground and expressed his commitment to restore the area to its natural state. “I have been opposing the Jhuriwala dumping ground as a councillor, but due to the local MLA’s insistence, the issue remains unresolved,” he alleged.

Independent candidate MP Sharma cited his experience of working with the Haryana Urban Development Authority and the Panchkula municipal corporation, stating that this gave him insight into this issue and a strategy for relocating the dumping ground properly. However, completely resolving this issue may take time due to the need for approvals from various departments.

Independent candidate Bharat Bhushan Chaudhary assured the public that if given the chance to serve, he would resolve the dumping ground issue and strengthen the Resident Welfare Association also. However, residents expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of the dumping ground issue in his manifesto.

After the debate, the residents decided to withdraw their earlier decision to boycott the upcoming elections. “Residents will instead boycott BJP’s Gian Chand Gupta and independent candidate Kshitij Chaudhary over their absence and vote for candidates who will address their problems effectively,” added convener Nitesh Mittal.

When contacted, Gupta dismissed the debate as a “political stunt conducted at the behest of political parties”. “We have cleared the dump and are sending the garbage to Ambala’s Patvi on daily basis,” he said, while also claiming that he was not invited to the debate.

Rebutting his claim, Mittal said they had sent an invite to MLA Gupta over WhatsApp and had even talked to his campaign team. He added, “If he is willing, we can still arrange a meeting with residents so that he can put his views forward.”

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