At 89, Padma Shri awardee and retired IPS Officer cleans Chandigarh’s streets himself after complaints go unheard
Retired DIG and Padma Shri awardee Inderjit Singh Sidhu, 89, cleans Chandigarh streets daily and refuses to move to the US, saying he wants to serve India
PTC Web Desk: At an age when most people prefer to rest, 89-year-old Inderjit Singh Sidhu is out on the streets of Chandigarh every morning and evening, picking up garbage with his own hands.
A retired IPS officer, Sidhu says he was upset by the sight of rubbish piling up around his neighbourhood. He first took the matter to sanitation workers, but nothing changed. So he decided not to wait any longer and began cleaning the area himself.
“Senior officers of the Municipal Corporation should visit different parts of the city every day and check whether sanitation staff are doing their job properly,” he said.
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Problems he has noticed
According to Sidhu, garbage can be seen on roads, in parks, along streets and in market areas. In one park in Sector 49, there are no dustbins at all. He also pointed to the Sector 49-A market, where he said shopkeepers have taken over the space outside a public toilet. This makes it hard for visitors to reach the facility.
“I prefer to die in my own country”
Sidhu’s health is fragile, but he has not slowed down. His son, who lives in the US, supports his efforts and even offered to take him abroad because of his health. Sidhu said no. “I prefer to die in my own country while serving rather than going to the USA,” he said.
He explained that he served the nation as a police officer and wants to keep doing so after retirement, through the cause of cleanliness, for as long as he lives.
Neighbours are inspired
Neighbours say Inderjit Singh Sidhu cleans the streets both morning and evening, despite the difficulties of old age.
A Padma Shri awardee
Sidhu retired from the Punjab Police in 1996 as a Deputy Inspector General (DIG). In June this year, President Droupadi Murmu presented him the Padma Shri at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, a moment that made the city proud. The honour, however, has not changed his habits. He is still out there with his broom and his determination.