PMC penalises employees for dumping, burning garbage along Mula-Mutha river bank

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken action against its employees for openly burning and throwing garbage along the Mula-Mutha river bank. Two employees from the solid waste management department have been fined ₹500 each and warned against future violations. This action comes as the PMC has been cracking down on illegal waste disposal by residents.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took action against its own employees who were seen to be openly burning and throwing garbage along the Mula-Mutha river bank in violation of the norms set by the civic body, officials said on Monday.

Officials said the two employees from the solid waste management department of the PMC were found throwing garbage along the river bank near Sambhaji bridge in the morning hours. Both the employees are class three employees and were on duty when the incident took place. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

According to civic officials, the incident was reported on October 2 when the nation was celebrating the Swachh Bharat movement on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s anniversary.

The action came after the complaint was made by then- guardian minister Chandrakant Patil.

Officials said the two employees from the solid waste management department of the PMC were found throwing garbage along the river bank near Sambhaji bridge in the morning hours. Both the employees are class three employees and were on duty when the incident took place.

Some local citizens recorded their act on video and sent it to Chandrakant Patil’s office. The minister’s office forwarded the complaint to the civic body.

Sandeep Kadam, head, solid waste department PMC, said, “We have fined two employees who are from our department. Both the employees are working with the Ghole Road ward office.”

According to Kadam, a fine of ₹500 has been imposed against each employee. “Besides the fine, we have also issued a warning to both on not indulging in such acts in the future, failing which serious action will be taken,” said Kadam.

The action came amid PMC appealing to residents and in many cases imposing fines against local residents for illegally disposing of the waste. In many parts of Pune, garbage burning has been rampant, leading to air pollution. Earlier last year, the National Highways Authority of India had written to PMC to act against garbage dumping on the roadside.

Recently, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Member of Parliament Vandana Chavan wrote a letter to the municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar and raised the issue of debris being dumped along the riverbed. Chavan had even asked to deploy a vigilance squad to monitor dumping in the Mula-Mutha river.

Chavan in her letter stated, “The PMC is implementing the riverfront development project in the Mutha river. On one hand, the PMC is spending crores of rupees on beautification and rejuvenation and at the same time, dumping of debris happening in the riverbed.”