PCMC’s new initiative: chai, vada pav in exchange for plastic bottles

Any citizen or a garbage collector who hands over five empty plastic bottles to a designated hotelier or vendor will get a cup of tea. And those who hand over 10 empty bottles will get a vada pav.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 7, 2022 03:01 PM IST

Any citizen or a garbage collector who hands over five empty plastic bottles to a designated hotelier or vendor will get a cup of tea. (Express Photo: Manoj Dattatrye More)

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), in a novel initiative, has decided to offer a cup of tea and a vada pav to those who hand over empty plastic bottles to civic-appointed hoteliers and vendors. The plan is set to take effect this month.

What is the initiative?

Any citizen or a garbage collector who hands over five empty plastic bottles to a designated hotelier or vendor will get a cup of tea. And those who hand over 10 empty bottles will get a vada pav, a popular Maharashtrian snack available at every nook and corner of the city.

Citizens possessing empty plastic bottles will have to approach the nearest hotelier or vendor designated by the civic body. PCMC has invited applications from such businesses who want to participate in the project. PCMC will reimburse them on a monthly basis. They will get Rs 10 for one cup of tea and Rs 15 for offering a vada pav.

The purpose

The objective of the plan is to make the city plastic-free. Civic officials said PCMC has been making efforts to make the city plastic-free, but it has not been able to do so because of several reasons.

One of the reasons is that there are no takers for empty plastic bottles. “At least a beer bottle fetches Re 1, but there are no buyers for plastic bottles,” said PCMC Health Chief Dr Anil Roy.

Plastic bottles are not only environmental hazards, but clog nullahs, canals and other water bodies.

“Every day, tonnes of plastic waste is generated, but disposal is a major problem. With this initiative, we are trying to lessen the plastic menace in the city,” officials said.

Question mark over vada pav

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Some civic activists say that instead of vada pav, PCMC should offer a healthier snack.

“Vada pav is deeply soaked in adulterated oil by some roadside vendors and small hoteliers who can’t afford a healthier version of oil. This is not a good choice for the heart,” said advocate Sushil Mancharkar.

PCMC, however, said it would verify whether the hoteliers and vendors possess food licences. “If hoteliers have the food licence, then they have strictly follow the norms of serving healthy food. Besides, our teams will also be checking the hygiene and cleanliness conditions at such hotels on a regular basis,” Dr Roy said.

Bottles for fuel

After collecting the empty bottles, PCMC will take them to Moshi garbage depot. The plastic bottles will be converted into fuel. “We have a plant at Moshi where we convert the plastic into industrial oil,” Dr Roy said.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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