Final Body Recovered, Death Toll Reaches Nine
Rescue teams recovered the body of Waman Kasbe, the last missing person, from the rubble of a collapsed waste processing unit in Moshi near Pune in the early hours of Sunday, bringing the death toll to nine. Officials confirmed that 14 people had been rescued from the site. The search operation has since been called off.
Incident Details: Garbage Mound Triggers Landslide-Like Collapse
The three-storey administrative building of a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant operated by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation collapsed on July 8 after an adjacent mound of garbage fell onto the structure, resembling a landslide. The incident occurred amid heavy rainfall in the region.
Official Response: Company Calls It 'Act of God'
Mahendra Ananthula, Group President of Antony Waste Group, which runs the plant, described the tragedy as an 'act of God' and a 'natural calamity'. Speaking to reporters on Saturday evening after meeting victims' families, he said: 'This was something like an act of God, a natural calamity... somehow we could not, no one can predict it. The kind of rainfall witnessed over the last four to five days could not have been predicted. Similar incidents have occurred in different parts of the country over the past week.'
Compensation and Support for Victims
Ananthula announced that the company would bear all medical expenses for the injured. He also stated that the families of each deceased victim would receive a compensation package of Rs 25 lakh, combining company contributions and insurance. Additionally, the company will offer a full-time job to one immediate family member of each deceased person and cover the education expenses of their minor children.
Search Operation Concludes
With the recovery of Kasbe's body, the search operation at the site was officially called off. The incident has raised questions about safety protocols at waste processing facilities, especially during adverse weather conditions.
