The district administration and the Municipal Committee (MC), Faridkot, on Wednesday withdrew a garbage-clearance operation after striking sanitation workers surrounded the machinery deployed for the exercise and threatened to dump the waste outside the residences and offices of officials.

With no immediate solution to the disposal of accumulated waste despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s intervention, residents in several localities have begun setting garbage heaps on fire in an attempt to clear them. The practice has raised concerns over air pollution and public health.

Due to recent rainfall, much of the garbage remained waterlogged and continued to smoulder rather than burn completely, emitting thick smoke and potentially toxic fumes in several parts of the city.

Acting on directions of the High Court, teams of the district administration and the MC arrived at dumping sites and major intersections with private JCB machines and tractor-trolleys to resume waste collection. Sanitation workers have been on strike for more than 13 days.

As soon as the machinery arrived, members of the Sanitation Workers’ Union staged sit-ins and formed human chains around the vehicles, halting the operation at several locations. “We have to ensure compliance with the High Court’s orders at any cost,” said Amrit Lal, Executive Officer, MC Faridkot, when asked about the next course of action.