The Punjab Government, and indeed, all Punjabis, especially Sikhs around the world, will soon be marking the 350th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, but even a cursory visit to the city where the Guru was born – now the holy city of Amritsar -- may leave the unsuspecting outsider in a state of total confusion.

The beautifully marbled complex of the Golden Temple is a soothing sight for the senses, but step outside and unattended heaps of garbage, broken roads, and the stench emanating from the Bhagtanwala dump leave a bad impression.

This August, a Dubai-based company responsible for door-to-door waste collection stopped operations after giving six months’ notice to the Municipal Corporation. Since then, garbage has piled up at every corner and open space, be it green b

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