E-Paper
PMC, MPCB get notices for building garbage depot along Ram Nadi flood lines
The gram panchayats of Bhukum and Bhugaon located in Mulshi Taluka have issued notices to municipal commissioner, chief engineer, irrigation department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and regional officer of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for illegally beginning work of a garbage collection centre along the flood lines of Ram Nadi
The gram panchayats of Bhukum and Bhugaon located in Mulshi Taluka have issued notices to municipal commissioner, chief engineer, irrigation department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and regional officer of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for illegally beginning work of a garbage collection centre along the flood lines of Ram Nadi.
The villagers and residents of Bhugaon, Bavdhan and Bhukum raised an alarm when the spotted excavation activities in the red and blue line areas of Ram Nadi including the river bank.
The gram panchayat has given a 15-day notice with a request to stop further development work of solid waste management in the prohibited area. These illegal constructions have created an obstruction in the natural river path. If not acted upon, the gram panchayat will approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT)
Kishor Moholkar an environment activist and a resident of the area said, “We tried to inquire about the exact nature of the work and were told by the workers, that a garbage depot is being constructed. We met the concerned officials at PMC and confirmed that the PMC has got a green signal to construct a solid waste management project to be developed on the river bank. The work began on April 11. We have written letters to authorities to stop the work.”
Kunal Khemnar, additional commissioner who issued the order for beginning the work at the site said, “The plant that we are building is not a garbage processing plant but a modern transfer station for garbage, it is a closed capsule system. It is possible that the residents and gram panchayat might have doubts which we will clear. We have given the go-ahead to Metro to begin work as it is part of the land transfer deal in lieu of the Kothrud Garbage depot.”
The Bhuagaon Sarpanch Nikita Sanas said, “We had raised objection earlier when the garbage depot was proposed in 2021. We are not against the PMC project, but against the choice of area. This will further pollute Ram Nadi. Many people have worked to restore this river.”
According to the gram panchayat and residents, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued guidelines to specify adequate separation distances between solid waste management facilities and their surrounding area . The objectives are to minimise the risk of adverse impacts on the environment, support strategic land use planning decisions and prevent encroachment of controlled areas. They also said that the secretary incharge of the Urban Development Department of States is under obligation to notify buffer zone for the solid waste processing and disposal facilities. The distance criteria for setting up waste management facilities as specified in the Solid Waste Management Rules,2016 are also required to be followed up.
The NGT too has said that as an abundant precaution, by the time the final blue line is earmarked, it should be treated as no development area according to a GR dated July 25, 2019.
The PMC had earlier cancelled the site, however the administrator who was appointed after the dissolution of the general body has approved the garbage depot construction.
“We request the PMC to stop the project in prohibited areas in the interest of the public and to protect the river bed,” said Anil Chondhe, resident.
Pratap Jagtap, officer at MPCB said, “We will look into the matter and take a decision once we discuss the issue.”
