Protective walls of Katraj garbage segregation plant in urgent need of repairs

At a time when the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is making tall claims of maintaining citizens safety by carrying out round the clock cleanliness campaign to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the city, the 400 tonne garbage segregation centre of the civic body located in the immediate neighbourhood of Katraj Milk dairy has been facing issues like collapsing walls where a large amount of garbage is flowing out on the road leading to health-related issues

At a time when the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is making tall claims of maintaining citizens safety by carrying out round the clock cleanliness campaign to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the city, the 400 tonne garbage segregation centre of the civic body located in the immediate neighbourhood of Katraj Milk dairy has been facing issues like collapsing walls where a large amount of garbage is flowing out on the road leading to health-related issues.

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The garbage is also falling out of the crevices of the tin-sheets and no efforts were being taken to plug the holes in the walls and tin-sheets, residents allege.

A spot visit to the site revealed that the cement concrete walls of the project had developed holes and cement was falling to pieces due to lack of repairs. The PMC building permissions department recently ordered audit of four walls which are unsafe for the residents but seems to have missed its own wall which too required immediate restoration and repairs, residents and commuters said.

The site located on the main road opposite Rajiv Gandhi Zoology Park and Wildlife Research centre was started eight years ago to cater to garbage segregation generated from five wards of the corporation. The plant segregates an average of 400 tonnes of garbage and the dry garbage is sent to Hadapsar garbage depot for further processing.

Nandkumar Shinde, an area resident said, “There is a lot of garbage accumulated inside the campus and it is loaded onto the walls due to which they are breaking while garbage is flowing out of the crevices from the sides which have been protected by tin sheets. The garbage is flowing out on the road and is creating problems for commuters and residents alike due to foul smell and possibility of airborne viruses attacking the residents due to the polluted nature of the waste. Also, there is a possibility that the walls might collapse, and it could be dangerous for the commuters and citizens passing near the site.”

Solid Waste Management department engineer ( Zone 3) Latika Mhaske said, “An onsite inspection has been conducted to look at the current state of problems at the garbage plant. A fresh tender seeking repairs and restoration of the protective walls and other essential works be released and the work will be completed at the earliest under the guidance of the seniors.”