Garbage dump sites raise stink

PUNE, April 7: It was with great reluctance that the civic administration agreed to the controversial shifting of the Kothrud garbage dep...

PUNE, April 7: It was with great reluctance that the civic administration agreed to the controversial shifting of the Kothrud garbage depot and dump the city8217;s garbage at alternative sites despite their long distance. Now, poor access to the dump yards may well delay the entire project.

Municipal Commissioner Girish Pradhan told Pune Newsline that he will have to meet the district collector on Monday to seek his intervention. He admitted that after conducting site inspections, the PMC would have to acquire private land under the urgency clause to chalk out some kind of approach road to the locations.

A total of 10 sites had been suggested to dispose of the city8217;s garbage out of which the PMC had been directed to take possession of three located on the outskirts of the city. The district collectorate had in a letter dated March 10 written to the Pune Municipal Commissioner to take possession of the three alternate sites 8211; 28 hectares at Mhatobichi Alandi, 109 hectares at Wadgaon Shinde and eight hectares at Yevlewadi to dispose of the garbage.

Owing to the long distance of these sites, the administration had pressed for acquiring the nearby Wadgaon Budruk and Katraj locations. However, these options do not seem feasible anymore. The site at Katraj is located in the ghats which has no approach road. It is not physically possible to climb that stretch to dump the garbage, PMC officials said while the location of Wadgaon Budruk is also likely to be ruled out as there are residential localities. In fact, residents are likely to protest in the event of the PMC dumping the garbage there.

The Yevlewadi site is atop a hill to which again there is no access. Private land will have to be acquired on the stretch which again would delay the entire project. The airport authority8217;s objection to dumping the garbage at Wadgaon Shinde which falls in 8220;flying zone8221; is likely to rule out this site as well.

Incidentally, the PMC has no 8220;official8221; access to its existing Urali Devachi site. Nearly 450 metric tonnes of garbage are dumped at the site which was made operational from 1990-91. Nine years later the officials have to pass through private land with the help of police as the properties have yet to be acquired. According to an official, the garbage trucks are even stoned by the villagers of Mantarwadi if that they pass via that route.