Overflowing waste from Katraj facility poses health risk
Fencing wall collapse of garbage processing facility located near Katraj Dairy and waste spilling onto main road pose health risk, inconvenience commuters and residents
PUNE: With a major portion of the fencing wall of the garbage processing facility located near Katraj Dairy having collapsed, the garbage spills onto the main road, causing a stench and posing a health risk apart from inconveniencing commuters and area residents and raising the likelihood of accidents. So much so that the residents of Katraj and Dhankawadi have demanded that the fencing wall be urgently repaired or rebuilt to rein in these problems.
A site visit conducted by Hindustan Times corroborated that the wall of the garbage processing facility has developed cracks and a major portion has collapsed due to which garbage is spilling onto the main road and causing problems for commuters and area residents. Moreover, the road turning slippery during the ongoing monsoon has raised the possibility of accidents.
Area resident Navnath Gaikwad said that many two-wheeler riders have slipped and fallen, leading to injuries. “As the broken wall of the garbage processing facility has not been repaired for the past six months, garbage spills onto the road. Add to that the monsoon and the situation could lead to fatalities if prompt action is not taken.”
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had set up the garbage processing facility at Katraj 13 years ago to segregate wet and dry waste/garbage. The facility processes around 500 tonnes of garbage received from the five wards of Pune city. From here, the dry garbage is sent to Hadapsar for further treatment.
Meanwhile, the Katraj Citizens’ Watch Group in a memorandum to PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said that the overflowing of garbage from the facility has resulted in the spread of contaminated and foul-smelling water on roads and footpaths in the vicinity. “This not only creates an unpleasant environment but also poses potential health risks, especially during the rainy season when the spread of contaminants is exacerbated. Residents and commuters have reported slippery and hazardous conditions on footpaths, making it difficult to navigate the area safely,” the memo states.
It further states that improper containment of waste can lead to contamination of nearby water sources and soil, posing long-term environmental risks, affecting local ecosystems, and potentially entering the food chain. The accumulation of waste and presence of slippery, contaminated areas increases the risk of accidents and injuries among motorists and pedestrians. The compromised structural integrity of the garbage facility’s walls could endanger public safety, the memo states.
Solid waste management department executive engineer Mukund Barve said, “A separate budget will be considered for concretisation of the broken fencing wall and other repairs. It will take another one-and-a-half month for the funds to be made available.”
