HT Impact: PCB lifts mound of accumulated garbage outside Clover Center in Camp
Hindustan Times, in its December 1 edition, had published a comprehensive report highlighting the issue
The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) on Wednesday cleared a massive heap of garbage that had been lying for weeks outside Clover Center near JJ Garden in Camp amid a dispute over revised waste collection charges. The clean-up brought relief to shopkeepers and visitors who had been complaining of the stench, health risks and obstruction at the busy commercial complex. Hindustan Times, in its December 1 edition, had published a comprehensive report highlighting the issue.
The dispute began after the PCB chief executive board served notice to the society on October 8, accusing Clover Center of violating section 289 of the Cantonment Act by dumping large quantities of discarded clothes and creating unhygienic conditions on public land. The society denied the allegations, claiming that the waste was being dumped by illegal hawkers operating nearby.
A second notice issued on November 20 reiterated that the PCB is responsible for waste collection and segregation, while clarifying that commercial units have to pay ₹500 per month and residential units ₹50.
PCB CEO Vidyadhar Pawar said that the society had repeatedly failed to segregate waste despite multiple warnings. “We have issued four to five notices. Earlier, we imposed a ₹10,000 fine, and today we imposed another ₹20,000 fine for dumping garbage on a public road. The entire cantonment is availing the garbage disposal service except for Clover Center. They have not agreed to pay the revised rates, but we lifted the garbage in the larger interest of public health. We will not allow them to dump waste on the road again. PCB is committed to citizens’ health and public hygiene,” Pawar said.
Shalan Khandekar, chairperson of the Clover Center society, credited pressure from citizens for the clearance. “It is because of the citizens’ awareness and the activism of society members that the garbage was removed. Through public initiative and a social media campaign, we were able to escalate the matter. We have always given segregated waste. Now that the PCB has cleared the piled-up garbage, they must restore the earlier collection system and provide relief to citizens,” she said.
The situation escalated after the Hadapsar Industrial Estate garbage processing plant refused to accept the cantonment’s 50 tonnes of daily waste in October. Unsegregated waste from Clover Center had caused technical issues and forced a three-day shutdown of the facility, Pawar said.
