Residents of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) have had to contend with a sanitation problem this week, after 250 civic workers were temporarily laid off.
Garbage has been lying on the roads of Bhosari, Chikhali, Sant Tukaramnagar and Kudalwadi and a foul smell from uncleared garbage bins has been compounded by stray cattle feeding of the waste.
Ramesh Jadhav, a resident from Sant Tukaramnagar said, “The area has not been cleaned for a week. The garbage bins are overflowing and the foul smell is unbearable. The civic officials need to take immediate action.”
“Because of the sanitary problem in Pimpri-Chinchwad we will reinstate all the 250 sanitation staff for now,” Dilip Gawde, PCMC additional commissioner, said.
However, the real issue is a new rule that was acted on immediately by the PCMC, without having a proper backup plan in place.
Explaining the same, Gawde said, “Earlier, each garbage-collecting van had two sanitation workers along with a driver. However, according to the new rules, each van will now only have one sanitation worker along with a driver.”
This rule stems from fresh tenders being issued for garbage collection in PCMC.
Gawde said: “PCMC issued two tenders for collection of garbage, wherein contractors have a separate provision for segregation of garbage. Hence, we decided to reduce the number of sanitation workers.”
{{/usCountry}}Gawde said: “PCMC issued two tenders for collection of garbage, wherein contractors have a separate provision for segregation of garbage. Hence, we decided to reduce the number of sanitation workers.”
{{/usCountry}}Civic officials now claim they will follow the old rule till June. However, from July 1, the new rule will come to effect based on a new contractor handling the garbage collection.
When asked if the sanitation workers will be sacked again in July, Gawde refused to comment.