Residents of Wadgaon Sheri in Pune, frustrated by worsening garbage accumulation across their area, have pressed the civic body and elected representatives for immediate corrective measures, leading to a series of commitments by the authorities aimed at improving waste collection and clearance in the locality.
Meeting with Authorities
The issue dominated a meeting held on June 13 between members of the Clean Wadgaon Sheri Group (CWG), local corporator Yogesh Mulik, and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials. Residents voiced their concerns about deteriorating waste management services.
Rajan Vishwanatha, a senior member of CWG, stated at the meeting, “Garbage disposal services have deteriorated significantly in the area in recent weeks, resulting in overflowing dumping spots, delayed collections, and growing public health concerns ahead of the monsoon.”
Another CWG member, Sunita Rehlan, added, “People have been repeatedly reporting uncollected trash, and the situation is only getting worse. Garbage heaps are becoming a common sight in residential pockets of Wadgaon Sheri.”
Ruchir Parikh, another resident in attendance, emphasized, “Residents want accountability and a clear action plan rather than just hollow assurances from the authorities.”
Commitments from Corporator
Corporator Mulik acknowledged their concerns and said immediate steps have been initiated to improve the situation. “The present condition is unacceptable. We have identified 29 critical dumping locations to be cleared on priority. Additional resources have been deployed and officials instructed to ensure visible improvement on the ground within the next few days,” he said.
Measures Announced
Among the measures announced was the deployment of an additional garbage collection vehicle, taking the total number of ‘ghanta gaadis’ in the area to 12. PMC officials will also finalize revised route maps to ensure better utilization of vehicles for both garbage collection and clearance operations.
Residents welcomed the decision to begin with the clearance of existing garbage hotspots before resuming full-scale door-to-door collection. Authorities are also considering the introduction of a public announcement system to inform residents about collection timings.
Additional Updates
Officials informed residents that the strike at the NEPRA waste-processing facility has been resolved, which is expected to ease disposal bottlenecks. PMC also indicated that it plans to eventually directly manage door-to-door garbage collection services, claiming this will lead to smoother operations.
Nibedita Sengupta, an area resident, said, “The next five days will be crucial. Residents will closely monitor whether these commitments translate into visible action.”
Strict action, including fines, is proposed against individuals found dumping waste on roads or burning garbage. Civic officials were also directed to prepare a plan for clearing rubble, debris, and loose mud from key roads before the monsoon.
A review meeting has been scheduled for June 20, when residents and officials will assess the effectiveness of the measures announced.
