Cidco to stop lifting garbage from tomorrow, Panvel looks for solution

The developing body had stopped collecting garbage from PCMC nodes in January, before agreeing to collect garbage till March 15.

While the City and Industrial Development Corporation’s (Cidco) deadline to lift garbage from nodes of Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will end on Wednesday, the civic body is yet to come up with a plan to deal with the waste that will start piling up in these areas.

Garbage lies scattered on a road in Kharghar. (Bachchan Kumar/HT Photo)

While Cidco has cleared its stand that it will stop garbage collection from these areas from Friday, it seems that the Panvel civic body is not yet ready to take up the responsibility of garbage collection.

Deputy commissioner, PCMC, Sandhya Bawankule, said, “We are still not clear about the garbage issue and the discussion is going on. We will make sure that residents don’t face problems and we will sort out the issue soon.”

BS Baviskar, chief health officer, Cidco, said, “We will stop collecting garbage from PCMC nodes from March 16. We have conveyed our stand to the Panvel civic chief.”

Baviskar said that the corporation had got enough time to handle the responsibility. “The Swachh Survekshan is over. Hence, the civic body has time to make a plan and take responsibility of their area,” he said.

It is not the first time that Cidco will stop collecting garbage. The developing body had stopped collecting garbage from PCMC nodes in January, before agreeing to collect garbage till March 15.

The civic body is trying to get an extension for a few more months to get the garbage collection system in place.

Panvel civic chief Sudhakar Shinde said, “The discussion is on regarding the garbage issue. We are working to get extension of some more days.”

The solid waste department of Cidco has however decided that it will not pick garbage from PCMC nodes till further notice.

Residents are however worried as they feel that they might have to deal with piled-up garbage as Cidco stops taking responsibility.

“I am worried that residents would have to deal with the stench as the corporation looks unprepared to deal with the issue,” said Venkatesh More, 46, a Kharghar sector 9 resident.

A Vijayan, 50, resident of Kamothe, sector 18 said, “During summer, the stench is very bad and the piled-up garbage causes many ailments.”

“We are paying our taxes and hence, we don’t want any unattended garbage,” he said.

IN NUMBERS

350 metric tonnes – the garbage produced by PCMC nodes daily

March 15 – last day when Cidco will collect garbage from these areas

650 – contractual workers employed by Cidco to take care of the garbage woes of PCMC nodes

The Centre had planned Swachh survey till March 12 and hence, Cidco gave a deadline of March 15 to the civic body