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Garbage dump plagues Pune’s Aundh smart city
Dumping near DMart on the sloping banks has intensified as the site cannot be seen easily from road. The illegal garbage piling is taking place unchecked even as Aundh ward office and PMC are focussing on Rs22-crore Smart City project in Aundh
Garbage dumping by sundry food vendors, roadside eateries, small restaurants and residents among others has intensified on the banks of the Mula river near the Aundh bridge which connects to Sangvi.
Last year, this spot had been cleaned by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department, after the matter was raised by Hindustan Times. However, public apathy and the failure of the civic body to check illegal dumping of garbage at numerous spots has led to the resumption of garbage dumping on the river bank.
The dumping at this particular spot on the sloping banks has intensified as it cannot be seen easily from the road.
Ironically, this dumping is taking place unchecked even as the Aundh ward office and PMC have focussed on the Rs 22 crore Smart City pilot projects in Aundh.
Last year, PMC’s Sanitation Inspector Balasaheb Shedge had rushed to the spot with 15 sanitary workers and a truck to immediately clear the garbage.
Civic officials had then said that it was difficult to clean the slope and the river bank and the amount of garbage that had accumulated also could not be picked up manually.
Residents in the area said that now, even the PMC sanitary staff was throwing garbage into the pit near the river bed.
Vaishali Patkar, chairperson of Aundh Vikas Mandal said she had seen the PMC staff burning the garbage at this spot.
According to resident Aasha Gokhale, chairperson of Westend Riverview, the closest housing society to the spot, “Although the PMC tries to clean up the spot, every morning, we see a pile of garbage left behind. Some even light up these bags on the side. This smoke and piled up garbage on the slope results in a lot of mosquitoes in our society and despite calling the health department, nothing has been done.”
Aundh Ward officer Sandeep Kadam said the PMC staff was dutifully cleaning the dump and not pushing garbage or burn garbage at the site.
PMC to clear illegal dump near D’Mart, Aundh
The Pune Municipal Coporation (PMC) has decided to clear the area near D’Mart on the banks of the Mula river which has become an illegal garbage dumping ground.
Dnyaneshwar Molak, chief of Solid waste management department (SWM) in the PMC gave this assurance after the matter was raised by Hindustan Times.
The PMC had cleared the area last year after this newspaper pointed out that garbage dumping was rampant on the banks of the river and was polluting the river waters.
Molak said, “We are using the space near D’Mart for sorting of wet and dry wastes. According to our planning we were about to continue using it for the next eight days; however, we will stop the process of sorting and lift the entire garbage in the next two days.”
While Molak has assured to clear the area, Vaishali Patkar, Chairperson, Aundh Vikas Mandal alleged that the PMC itself was engaging in illegal dumping of garbage in this particular area.
She said, “I think Molak is mistaken, for there is no sorting shed on the side of D’Mart, but a huge gaping hole on the slope towards the river. There is a small sorting shed built for the Swach sanitation staff on the opposite side. The garbage is being thrown in plastic bags and then set alit.”
She suggested that the SWM department should work on removing the already piled up garbage and not level it or dump it in the pit. This has been happening since two years and every time the citizen raise a complaint, this area is cleaned up temporarily, which is not the solution.”
Speaking on the other 23 spots identified by the PMC across the city where garbage was being dumped illegally, Molak said, “Often it happens that owing to some reasons, the garbage is being left unpicked by the PMC vehicles which then leads to the creation of huge heaps of waste.”
We will certainly look after such cases in the city and will take appropriate actions, he said.
Two illegal dumps cleared successfully by KCB
Two garbage dumps on the Aundh-Khadki Road which had become a nuisance for the neighbourhood residents were successfully cleared by the Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) after repeated and persistent reporting by Hindustan Times.
While one illegal garbage dump was located close to the Ayappa Temple at the junction of Park Road and Aundh Road, the other one was on the opposite side.
These garbage dumps were a nuisance to residents of the area, especially wheelchair-bound residents of the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre on Park Road. They had to suffer due to the stench of garbage strewn across the street near Ayapa Temple.
This garbage was dumped illegal by the local residents and small eateries on Aundh Road.
After persistent reporting in this newspaper, the KCB not only put up a warning signage but also started collecting heavy fines from offenders. The area was also cemented and turned into a parking lot.
Similar action was taken on a 450 metre stretch adjoining St Thomas Church and State Highway Safety Patrol headquarters on the Khadki-Aundh road.
