KDMC officer’s sudden transfer sparks row

The order regarding Kokare’s transfer was issued by the state urban development department on April 29. His next posting has not yet been decided

THANE: The abrupt transfer of Ramdas Kokare, Deputy Commissioner of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), has sparked strong reactions among residents, with many crediting him for significantly improving solid waste management in the area and demanding revocation of his transfer.

KDMC officer’s sudden transfer sparks row

The order regarding Kokare’s transfer was issued by the state urban development department on April 29. His next posting has not yet been decided.

Kokare was brought into the KDMC in 2020 as head of the waste management department, with a clear mandate to transform the civic body’s image, long associated with poor sanitation, widespread garbage dumping, and a waste management system that existed largely on paper. During his tenure as the department head, he increased waste segregation from just 3% to 70%, and played a key role in the scientific closure of the Adharwadi dumping ground. In September 2025, he was deputed as the KDMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Waste Management).

An experienced government officer, Kokare has consistently promoted models of urban cleanliness and waste- and plastic-free initiatives. He successfully implemented city cleanliness programmes in municipal councils such as Vengurla, Karjat, Matheran, and Dapoli, creating benchmark projects across the state.

The “Vengurla Pattern” developed by Kokare has received praise from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). During his tenure at the Vengurla Municipal Council, the officer had introduced an innovative system of classifying waste into 27 categories, reducing the pressure on dumping grounds significantly. The initiative helped the municipal council secure multiple awards at the district, divisional, state, and national levels under the Swachh Bharat Mission; it was also included in the class 6 science curriculum of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 2022-23.

Dombivali resident Ashutosh Singh said Kokare had a keen interest in waste management, and he had transformed the system within just seven months of his appointment.

“Due to his expertise and personal involvement, he introduced measures such as waste segregation into five categories and improvement of disposal systems. Though these initiatives faced resistance initially, citizens gradually understood the point and began following the norms. His transfer now, just as the system was stabilising, has sent the wrong message,” Singh said.

Any new officer who takes over from Kokare would take time to understand the system, while the city would suffer, Singh said, adding, “He should be retained for a few more years to ensure that the city fully adopts and internalises effective waste management practices.”

Kokare had also intervened to address issues faced by sanitation workers engaged by Sumeet Elko, the private agency contracted by the KDMC to collect and manage waste, SIngh said. When the workers were not receiving salaries on time, he ensured that their payments were regularised, which improved staff morale and work efficiency.

Speaking along similar lines, Raju Nalawade, a social worker from Milap Nagar, Dombivli said Kokare was an experienced and award-winning officer who was specifically brought in to fix the KDMC’s ineffective waste management system.

“Transferring him within just seven months is unjustified and discouraging for officers who genuinely want to work for the city’s betterment. He should not have been transferred,” Nalawade said.

However, other residents who did not wish to be identified alleged that Kokare had not been allowing Sumeet Elko to function freely. Besides intervening in payment of salaries to workers, he was keen that modern waste collection systems and machinery be introduced, which the agency reportedly did not agree with, the residents said.

Kokare did not respond to calls and messages seeking his comment.