E-Paper
PMC fines Swach for “uncleanliness” in Aundh-Balewadi-Baner
Swach, the collective of waste-pickers providing waste collection services in the PMC area, has been fined by the PMC for “uncleanliness” in the Aundh-Balewadi-Baner smart city area, specifically near the Kapil-Malhar society.
Swach, the collective of waste-pickers providing waste collection services in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area, has been fined by the PMC for “uncleanliness” in the Aundh-Balewadi-Baner smart city area, specifically near the Kapil-Malhar society.
Sandip Khalate, ward officer of Aundh-Baner ward, said, “As per local residents, we visited the spot and we found Swach workers were separating garbage by the roadside. They have a segregation point in the Kapil-Malhar society area. Despite that, they were using an open area. We imposed a fine of Rs1,000.”
Harshad Barde, director, Swach, said, “PMC fined waste pickers for the PMCs own fault. The PMC ward office fails to collect over two tonnes of waste from this location daily. It inconveniences waste pickers and the citizens. How can they fine the collectors?”
He added, “We have proof of complaints ranging for over two years. This is an attempt to malign the image of waste pickers in Pune. We will rally and protest at the highest level and demand an inquiry into this unfair oppression.”
Swach covers around 850,000 properties in the city and is paid between ₹4.5 crore to ₹5 crore every month.
Swach operates as an extension of the PMC’s solid waste management (SWM) department. Established by the PMC in 2007, after a line was laid down by the state government in 2002, to integrate informal waste-pickers and pull them out of poverty, and promote sustainable waste management.
