In a comprehensive survey conducted by Swachh Sanstha in collaboration with Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health inspectors, the Hadapsar-Mundhwa and Nagar Road-Wadgaon Sheri areas have been identified as grappling with sanitation challenges. The survey revealed a total of 913 chronic spots where waste is openly dumped and stored, with a significant concentration of 284 spots falling within the purview of the two ward offices.
PMC’s Deputy Commissioner of the Solid Waste Management Department, Sandeep Kadam, announced the initiation of measures to address the issue, with 161 of the identified spots already reduced. The administration is actively planning further strategies to combat unsanitary conditions in these areas.
Despite ongoing door-to-door waste collection efforts and city-wide cleanliness initiatives, the persistently high number of chronic spots underscores the challenges faced by PMC in curbing illegal garbage dumping. Of particular concern is the revelation that citizens are discarding waste along highways, notably in the Warje, Aundh, Hadapsar, and Nagar Road regions.
PMC employees are intensively monitoring these areas, taking punitive actions against those responsible for illegal dumping. Concurrently, efforts are underway to encourage citizens to hand over their garbage to designated collectors. At identified chronic spots, PMC employees are implementing measures such as creating queues and enhancing the aesthetic appeal by placing decorative pots.
The survey prompts reflection on PMC’s five-year-old decision to eliminate garbage containers across the city. While the move initially received positive responses with the introduction of door-to-door waste collection facilities, the recent survey indicates a resurgence of open dumping and a concerning increase in littering of public spaces.
