PMC to raise compound wall to prevent encroachments at garbage depots

To check encroachments at Uruli-Devachi and Phursungi garbage depots, PMC has decided to construct a compound wall

PUNE: After failed attempts at preventing encroachments in the Uruli-Devachi and Phursungi garbage depots, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to construct a compound wall to put an end to encroachments in these areas.

Garbage depot at Uruli Devachi in Pune. PMC to raise compound wall to prevent encroachments at the depot. (HT)

Ajit Deshmukh, deputy commissioner of the solid waste department of the PMC said, “There are complaints of encroachments in the garbage depots. Hence, we have decided to construct a compound wall to put an end to these. It is a large area and we have limitations in terms of deputing security at the depots.”

With urbanisation putting pressure on the city area, people are now encroaching garbage depot land for illegal housing and other activities. The solid waste department of the PMC has found encroachments in some parts of the garbage depot. Despite temporary fencing, people are intruding and stealing metals and parts of machinery.

Sudhir Chavan, executive engineer of the solid waste department of the PMC said, “We have fencing for the depot land but it is not up to the mark. We put tin sheets covering the boundary of the depots but people are frequently intruding. We had even registered police complaints but the encroachments haven’t stopped. We have now identified a 1.5kilometre stretch along the railway line from where the encroachments are taking place. We will construct a compound wall taller than 6feet.”

“The front side of the depot land has garbage processing plants and sees movement of people so it is secure and no one can intrude from there. However, people are entering easily from the other side of the depot and stealing parts of machinery,” Chavan said.

The garbage depots span 163 acre land in the Mantarwadi, Phursungi and Uruli-Devachi villages. The PMC had taken the land for dumping garbage as a temporary arrangement. However for over 25 years now, the corporation is using the land for garbage processing. In 2020, garbage dumping was stopped and scientific landfilling was started on the land.

An official of the solid waste department said, “The villages around the garbage depots have merged into the PMC limits and land prices have shot up. With the corporation having stopped garbage dumping, smoke and fire incidents have considerably reduced. Hence, all this open garbage depot land is being encroached as the PMC does not have adequate manpower to protect it. Outsiders have damaged the fencing in most parts.”

In 2017, the PMC had assured residents of the Uruli-Devachi and Phursungi villages that it would hand over 25% of the depot land to them. With the corporation using a total 163acre of land, 40acre would be given to these villagers for different purposes.