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Trash piles at Clover Center raise health concerns in Camp
Garbage has been piling up outside Clover Center in Camp since mid-October after PCB stopped lifting waste from 550-shop complex over garbage collection fee dues
Pune: Garbage has been piling up outside Clover Center in Pune’s busy Camp area since mid-October after the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) stopped lifting waste from the 550-shop complex, triggering a standoff that has stretched for more than six weeks. Residents and shopkeepers said the halt followed a PCB notice demanding additional garbage collection fees that would run into lakhs of rupees for the society. PCB chief executive officer (CEO) Vidyadhar Pawar and health officials declined to comment.
The dispute began after an October 8 notice from the PCB CEO to the society’s chairman, accusing Clover Center of committing an offence under Section 289 of the Cantonment Act by depositing large quantities of discarded clothes and creating unhygienic conditions on public land. The society countered that the garbage belonged to illegal hawkers and that the board had wrongly attributed the waste to them.
A second PCB notice on November 20 said the board is responsible for collecting and segregating waste and that the applicable monthly charges are ₹500 for commercial units and ₹50 for residential ones.
“It was reported to the undersigned that you are depositing a large quantity in waste in the form of clothes and garbage on public land in spite of several notices and directions issued by this office from time to time. Due to this, the area resulted in unhygienic conditions and grievance to the public,” stated the second notice.
Shalan Khandekar, chairperson, Clover Center Society, said the abrupt halt in garbage lifting has left mounds of waste accumulating near shop entrances. “PCB has suddenly stopped lifting garbage, leaving trash to pile up. For over forty years, our women staff have been collecting and handing over waste to PCB without any issue. Now they are demanding ₹125 per unit dating back to 2017, which runs into lakhs of rupees. This is unreasonable and unfair to the society,” she said.
According to Clover Center resident Jai Narwani, the accumulation of garbage is an eyesore and poses serious health hazards for shoppers, residents and staff. “We have always maintained cleanliness inside the center, and now this sudden halt in collection is creating a risk for everyone visiting the place,” said Narwani.
The Clover Center Co-operative Housing Society Management Committee in its letter to PCB stated the complex, which houses a range of shops selling fabrics, traditional wear, accessories, footwear and home decor, has long been a popular single-stop destination in the Camp area. With garbage piling up outside the entrances, shoppers and residents are increasingly worried about hygiene and health risks, putting pressure on authorities to resolve the impasse quickly, the committee said.
Khandekar reiterated that the society cannot pay the amount demanded. “We cannot pay such an exorbitant amount. Our society has responsibly managed garbage collection for decades. It is unfair to penalise us now, especially with retroactive charges from 2017. We are ready to cooperate, but the demand is beyond our means.”
She defended the centre’s existing waste management system. “Our women staff have been doing a commendable job for decades, collecting waste daily and handing it over. This model worked well for years and ensured cleanliness in the centre. Now, suddenly, PCB is challenging a system that has been functional for decades.”
Calling for dialogue, shopkeeper Girish Choudhary said, “We have repeatedly tried to engage with PCB to resolve the matter amicably, but lack of clarity and sudden demands make it difficult. Our priority is the health and safety of visitors, shopkeepers and employees, and we urge PCB to work with us rather than against us.”
