PCMC squad collects ₹31 lakh penalty from pollution violators
The civic body appointed the round-the-clock surveillance squad in December 2024 with two private agencies deployed to cover eight zones in the city
The Nuisance Detection Squad of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has intensified its crackdown on pollution violations and illegal waste dumping. The squad has collected a fine of over ₹31 lakh from 1,020 violators, said civic officials on Saturday.
The civic body appointed the round-the-clock surveillance squad in December 2024 with two private agencies deployed to cover eight zones in the city. Between December 2024 and February 12, 2025, over 1,020 complaints have been resolved and ₹31 lakh collected, said officials.
Maximum number of complaints were received from areas like Kalewadi, Thergaon, Pimpri, Akurdi, Kudalwadi, Moshi, Sangvi, Wakad, and Pimple Saudagar. The violations included illegal burning of waste, littering in public spaces, dumping of solid waste in public spaces, use of plastic carry bags, non-compliance to the air pollution rules and non-adherence to the construction guidelines of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), according to an official statement released by PCMC on Saturday.
Shekhar Singh, municipal commissioner, PCMC, said, “The prime objective of the squads is to identify pollution violations by individuals, developers and commercial units.”
As per the officials, the squad targets violations related to hazardous and non-hazardous waste, including construction and demolition (C&D) waste, electronic waste, bio-medical waste, and plastic waste.
The squad is equipped with clean-fuel vehicles and a 39-member team. Residents are encouraged to report environmental and waste violations to authorities via Smart Sarathi application or to the respective department officials.