Chandigarh Sanitation Scandal: MC Officials Suspended After Viral Video Shows Workers Staging ‘Cleanup’ for Union Minister’s Visit
The controversy erupted during the “Swachhata Hi Seva 2025” campaign, a nationwide initiative under the Swachh Bharat Mission to promote sanitation and waste management.
NewsArc Bureau
Chandigarh, September 27, 2025
In a shocking turn of events that has tarnished the image of one of India’s cleanest cities, two senior officials from the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) have been placed under suspension following allegations that sanitation workers deliberately littered a bustling market hours before a high-profile cleanliness drive led by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, has sparked outrage, with critics accusing local authorities of orchestrating a staged event for political optics.
The controversy erupted during the “Swachhata Hi Seva 2025” campaign, a nationwide initiative under the Swachh Bharat Mission to promote sanitation and waste management. On September 25, 2025—coinciding with the birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay—Minister Khattar joined residents and officials in Sector 22-D Market for the “Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath” (One Day, One Hour, Together) sub-campaign. Donning a broom and gloves, the former Haryana Chief Minister was photographed and filmed sweeping dry leaves, waste papers, and scattered trash from the streets, an activity that was promptly highlighted on social media by both Khattar’s office and the MC’s official handles as a symbol of collective action toward a cleaner India.
However, a viral video circulating online since late September 25 revealed a darker side to the event. The footage, timestamped around midnight on September 24-25, shows MC sanitation workers using a tractor trolley emblazoned with “Nagar Nigam Chandigarh” to deliberately dump and spread dry leaves, crumpled waste papers, and other debris across the otherwise pristine market lanes.
Eyewitnesses and local residents described the scene as bizarre, noting that Sector 22—known for its manicured gardens and orderly vibe—is rarely cluttered with such litter, especially out of season when trees still bear green foliage. One anonymous resident, a Haryana government employee living nearby, told reporters, “I was out for my morning walk and was stunned by the amount of trash. Chandigarh people don’t litter like this—it’s not in our habit. And those dry leaves? The trees here are still full of green ones; it didn’t make sense.”
The video’s emergence prompted swift backlash. Opposition parties, including the Chandigarh unit of the Indian National Congress, lambasted the BJP-led MC for prioritizing “photo opportunities” over genuine civic improvements. “This is the BJP’s idea of cleanliness—manufacturing mess for media management,” a Congress spokesperson quipped, echoing broader sentiments that the incident undermines the Swachh Bharat Mission’s credibility in a city that consistently ranks in the top 10 of the Swachh Survekshan national cleanliness survey.
In response, MC Commissioner Amit Kumar issued suspension orders on September 26, 2025, targeting Chief Sanitary Inspector (CSI) Kulbir Singh and Sanitary Inspector (SI) Sukh Prakash Sharma. The official memo, issued from the Commissioner’s office, cited “dereliction of duty” during the minister’s function as the reason for the immediate action. “Following officials namely 1. Sh. Kulbir Singh, CSI 2. Sh. Sukh Prakash Sharma, SI are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect… Both the aforesaid officials are hereby ordered to report to MOH [Medical Officer of Health] office during suspension period,” the order stated. Copies of the order were forwarded to key MC departments, including the Superintendent of Establishment and Administration, for further action.
Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, a BJP councillor, condemned the lapse while emphasizing accountability. “The action was taken due to negligence on the part of the employees, which damaged the corporation’s image,” she said in a statement to the press. Babla revealed she had personally viewed the videos and urged Commissioner Kumar to launch a probe immediately. “I spoke to the commissioner after watching the videos and told him that something glaring has been done, which can’t go unpunished. I have told him to conduct an investigation and punish the guilty so that our reputation isn’t tarnished,” she added.
The suspended officials, both long-serving in the MC’s sanitation wing, were directly overseeing the Sector 22 area during the preparatory phase of the event. Sources within the corporation suggest the littering may have been intended to amplify the visual impact of Khattar’s participation, creating an illusion of a “before-and-after” transformation for promotional material. However, the plan backfired spectacularly, drawing national attention to what some are calling a “fake cleanup fiasco.”
This is not the first time Chandigarh’s waste management practices have come under scrutiny. The city has faced challenges with legacy waste at sites like Daddumajra and occasional complaints about illegal vending contributing to litter in markets. Yet, its high rankings in cleanliness surveys—often credited to robust MC enforcement—make the Sector 22 episode particularly embarrassing. As part of the broader Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, which runs through October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti), the MC has vowed to intensify monitoring to prevent recurrences.
Minister Khattar, who has been a vocal advocate for urban sanitation since his days as Haryana CM, has not publicly commented on the video as of September 27. His office’s X post from the event remains active, captioned: “Shri @mlkhattar, Hon’ble Union Minister, joined citizens at Sector 22, Chandigarh for the ‘Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath’ initiative.” Meanwhile, the MC’s social media accounts have gone quiet on the matter, focusing instead on other campaign highlights.
As the investigation unfolds, residents and activists are calling for stricter oversight and transparency. “Cleanliness isn’t a stunt; it’s a daily commitment,” said a local environmentalist. With the suspensions serving as a stern warning, the hope is that this scandal will catalyze real reforms rather than just headlines. For now, Sector 22’s streets gleam once more—but the stain on public trust lingers.
