Chandigarh, September 27: Chandigarh Municipal Corporation suspended two sanitation officials for dereliction of duty during a cleanliness drive attended by Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, on September 25.
Chief Sanitary Inspector Kulbir Singh and Inspector Sukh Prakash Sharma were placed under suspension by Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar after failing to maintain cleanliness during the “Swachhata Hi Seva 2025” programme at Sector 22-D Market. The suspension order directed both officials to report to the Medical Officer of Health office during the period of suspension.
The controversy intensified after a video surfaced on social media showing sanitation workers littering the Sector 22 market the night before the event. Opposition parties, including the Chandigarh Congress, alleged that municipal authorities deliberately spread garbage to create a photo opportunity for the Union Minister. “It seems municipal officials were used to stage a show for media coverage rather than focus on real cleanliness,” a party spokesperson said.
Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla defended the action, saying the suspension was necessary due to negligence that damaged the corporation’s reputation. “The officials’ lapses undermined our efforts to maintain civic cleanliness and public trust,” she noted.
The incident has sparked political debate over the conduct of municipal authorities and the use of public service campaigns for political optics.
