Hundreds of Baner-Sus Road residents staged a protest on Sunday against the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) garbage processing plant, citing concerns about air pollution and foul smell emitted from the plant.
The protest was led by Sus-Baner Vikas Manch under the advice of Advocate Satya Muley, where residents including senior citizens, women and children participated in the protest.
The Sus Road Baner Vikas Manch represented by their president Vijay Deshpande, secretary Haresh Patil and all their committee members, with the support of the residents, will be approaching the Supreme Court by filing a contempt petition seeking directions to the PMC to re-locate the plant situated at survey number 48 at Baner- Sus Road.
The said plant is operating in blatant violation of environment protection laws, and the directives laid down by the Supreme Court earlier in September 2024, they said.
Vinay Deshpande, president, Sus Road Baner Vikas Manch, said, “The plant claimed to be of zero odour, and zero drips when started but it is only on paper and not in reality. Processing of waste food in this plant is unscientific and creates a series of social, environmental and health hazards where it emits poisonous gases, releases odour, and is a breeding ground for flies, mosquitos, bacteria and viruses, and polluting groundwater reserves.”
“We are also facing another issue of the loud sound that causes noise pollution due to installed machinery functioning 24X7 and with the continuous movement of vehicles such as garbage trucks, JCBs, water and slurry tankers, etc. in the residential area,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“We are also facing another issue of the loud sound that causes noise pollution due to installed machinery functioning 24X7 and with the continuous movement of vehicles such as garbage trucks, JCBs, water and slurry tankers, etc. in the residential area,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Ishaan Nikhil Bhoite, a resident of Mount Unique Society, said, “We can not go outside to play in the society garden due to foul smell and have to sit inside our house with closed windows and doors which restricts our outdoor playing. Our parents always instruct us to remain inside the home and use masks while going outside. We face headaches and vomiting due to the strong foul smell,” he said.
Adv Muley said, “The directions of the Supreme Court are not being followed by the PMC after which the Sus Road Baner Vikas Manch had started a legal battle against the garbage plant from National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had ordered to relocate the plant in 2020. However, ignoring the concerns of the residents, and favouring certain private entities the PMC challenged the NGT order in the Supreme Court.
“The apex court had passed judgment and order on September 12, 2024, which had given strict directions to PMC which were to be followed in their entirety if at all the is to continue at the same location. However, the PMC has to date not acted on any of the complaints by the Manch of the residents. A public view is formed that the PMC officials are only concerned about the interest of the private entity who runs the plant,” he said.
The PMC garbage disposal department in a statement said that it was following the complaints and citizens’ grievances will be taken into consideration.