Panchkula, Feb. 13 -- Despite Panchkula municipal corporation's (MC's) tall claims regarding its ongoing sanitation drive, garbage continues to be dumped illegally along roadsides, in vacant plots, and on open grounds across the city. This comes even as the MC commissioner and other senior officials regularly visit sectors to raise awareness and review the functioning of the sanitation department. With the Swachh Survekshan survey likely to take place in mid-March or April, civic shortcomings have once again come under scrutiny. Last year, the MC received a poor ranking in the national cleanliness survey. Piles of garbage can be seen lying just a few metres away from a private school in Sector 14. Similar scenes are common in many areas, particularly in Sector 17. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is also visible in several sectors, especially in areas where new houses are being built or repair work is underway. Source segregation remains another major concern among residents. SK Nayar, president of the Citizens' Welfare Association, alleged that garbage is not collected regularly from households. "Many residents either do not segregate waste or, even if they do, it gets mixed again during transportation. Garbage collectors sometimes skip sectors for days due to strikes or other issues," he said. Rakesh Aggarwal, a member of Vikas Manch, Panchkula, questioned the effectiveness of the sanitation drive. "If the commissioner himself has to visit dumping spots, it shows that everything is not functioning properly. The on-ground situation is far from satisfactory. The MC is not delivering results despite having adequate infrastructure," he said. He further pointed out that wet and dry waste bins were distributed only in a few selected sectors and not across the entire city. Aggarwal stressed that the MC must strictly follow standard operating procedures (SOPs), conduct random inspections, and take firm action against violators involved in illegal dumping. Responding to the concerns, chief sanitary inspector (CSI) Anil Nain said that the MC has repeatedly urged residents to hand over segregated waste to garbage collectors. "However, many residents continue to give mixed waste. As a result, garbage vehicles fill up quickly, and segregation becomes difficult and time consuming," he said. Nain also noted that some shopkeepers and residents misuse dustbins placed in market areas, which are meant for customers to dispose of small waste such as wrappers. He warned that MC teams are identifying illegal dumping sites and violators, and strict action will be taken against them. He added that seven assistant sanitary inspectors (ASIs) are monitoring various sectors. Under Section 309 of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, strict penalties are there for violations. The MC is also collecting legacy waste, including C&D and horticulture waste, from different sectors....