After staying away from social media for several months, Ward 188 Councillor Ariba Khan made a sudden reappearance in the virtual world on Thursday.

In a new post shared just a few hours ago, Ariba uploaded a video along with a detailed message explaining the recent garbage collection crisis in her ward and the steps being taken to resolve it.

We are doing our best to address garbage woes: Ariba

In her post, Ariba wrote that since July 1, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had shut down all tippers (garbage collection vehicles) operating in the Central Zone, which includes her ward. “We had been arranging garbage pickup using our personal funds. Today a new company has been awarded the tender in Ward 188 and 4 new tippers have started operating. God willing, the remaining tippers will also be operational in the next 10 days. We are doing our best to ensure that the sanitation system remains better and more regular,” she wrote.

This development is to ensure that the streets of Ward 188, which includes areas like Shaheen Bagh, Abul Fazal Enclave, and other areas, do not remain buried under heaps of waste.

Ariba further shared that a new company has now been awarded the sanitation tender, and four new tippers have already started operations in the area.

Her post received a mixed reaction online. While many residents appreciated the update and welcomed the new tippers, others expressed skepticism. One social media user commented: “The area will never remain clean, no matter how many tippers are introduced. The real problem is that some residents dump garbage on the roads either early in the morning or late at night just to avoid paying Rs 100 to garbage collectors. These people are the real culprits.”

Jamia facing sanitation challenges for years, Ariba signals change

The issue of garbage dumping and poor waste management is not new to Jamia Nagar. The Muslim-majority neighbourhoods in this part of South Delhi have been facing sanitation challenges for years.

From Shaheen Bagh to Zakir Nagar, it is common to see piles of garbage left on the roadsides, often left rotting for days. Residents have repeatedly complained about the lack of a proper, consistent waste disposal system and they had hoped that Ariba will help in getting the mess addressed. Overflowing bins, broken tippers, and irregular pick-ups have only added to the frustration of the locals.

The new update from Ariba brings a glimmer of hope, especially for those who have been demanding cleaner streets and better civic management. However, many feel that just deploying tippers by Ariba will not solve the entire problem. There needs to be public awareness, strict enforcement of waste disposal rules, and community participation to ensure lasting cleanliness in the area, said residents.

As the new vehicles start rolling out, all eyes are now on how effective this move by Ariba will be and whether it can bring visible change to the ground reality in Ward 188.

The garbage crisis has hit yet another neighbourhood Zakir Nagar and Batla House, where overflowing piles of waste have become a daily eyesore and health hazard. Residents, fed up with the persistent neglect, have taken to social media and local WhatsApp groups to lambast their Councillors, including Nazia Danish and Ariba, accusing them of failing to take concrete steps to address the worsening situation. In many by-lanes of Zakir Nagar, Batla House, Okhla Head, Tikona Park, Shaheen Bagh and other places heaps of garbage lie unattended, emitting a foul stench that hangs in the air throughout the day. Stray dogs, cows, and birds often be seen rummaging through the waste, creating an environment that locals say is not just unhygienic but outright dangerous.

“The Councillor only shows up when it’s time for elections,” complained a resident, standing next to a mound of rotting waste near a residential complex in Zakir Nagar. “We’ve been raising this issue for months but nothing changes. The garbage just keeps piling up,” said BJP leader Wakeel Qureshi who has been consistently putting pressure on the Councillor over the past few weeks by regularly posting videos and photos of garbage-strewn roads, highlighting the poor state of sanitation and civic neglect in the area.

Residents blamed for dumping garbage on roadsides

However, Councillor Nazia Danish’s aide, Wajid Khan, has taken to social media with a series of strong appeals to the public regarding the growing garbage crisis in the area. In multiple videos uploaded recently, Wajid can be seen urging residents to act responsibly and refrain from dumping household waste and litter on the roadside. His tone reflects both frustration and concern, as he highlights how individual behaviour is contributing significantly to the worsening sanitation conditions.

In his messages, Wajid doesn’t just stop at appealing to residents. He also calls out local eateries and meat vendors, accusing them of carelessly discarding leftover food, bones, and animal waste in public spaces. According to him, these commercial establishments are some of the biggest contributors to the filth, with rotting food and animal remains not only littering the streets but also creating unbearable stench that makes daily life difficult for local residents.

Shopkeepers accused of dumping waste on streets

He claimed that despite repeated warnings and requests, many of these vendors continue with the same practice, showing little regard for public hygiene. “These shopkeepers wrap meat scraps in newspaper or plastic bags and toss them right onto the street often in the dead of night when no one is watching,” Wajid alleged.

Residents, too, have backed some of Wajid’s claims, complaining that the putrid smell from the garbage, especially near food joints, is becoming impossible to tolerate, particularly in the monsoon when the moisture in the air amplifies the stench. The issue has become more than just a cleanliness concern it’s a matter of public health and dignity.

Wajid has urged the authorities to take strict action against repeat offenders and has appealed to residents to report such instances of illegal dumping, whether by individuals or commercial outlets. His videos have struck a chord with many on social media, sparking debates around civic responsibility, vendor accountability, and the urgent need for stronger enforcement of waste disposal rules. During the rainy season, the situation in the locality worsens significantly.

As garbage remains one of the biggest civic challenges in Jamia Nagar, voices like Wajid Khan’s are becoming increasingly important in pushing for change from both the public and the administration so that the dream of green and clean Okhla is achieved.