Kothrud residents breathe easy as PMC moves

Gaikwad today visited the garbage depot at Urali Devachi village along with the health department chief Anil Ravetkar after it was noticed that the quantity of garbage being dumped at Kothrud garbage depot had almost doubled ever since the administration stopped disposing garbage at the alternate site.

The commissioner8217;s visit to garbage depot followed his orders to launch a departmental inquiry involving assistant health chief P S Dhaigude when the latter failed to provide any information about dumping of garbage at Urali Devachi.

According to Ravetkar, the administration had stopped dumping garbage at Urali Devachi about a month back due to lack of approach roads to the garbage depot.

As a result, the quantity of garbage being dumped at the Kothrud had increased by 300 to 350 tones per day. Usually, 200 tones of garbage is dumped at Kothrud garbage depot. However, about 550 tones of garbage was being dumped there during the last one month. Consequently, little vacant space was left for movement of vehicles at the Kothrud garbage depot.

Acting on complaints by the citizens that increased amount of garbage being dumped at the Kothrud depot was posing major health hazards, Gaikwad asked Dhaigude to provide him the relevant information. He ordered an inquiry when Dhaigude failed to provide any information about dumping of garbage at Urali Devachi, according to the PMC officials.

Ravetkar said the Urali Devachi garbage depot has two approach roads, one passing along the railway line and the other going through the Urali Devachi village.

The administration started using the road going through the village after a contractor dumped debris blocking the alternate route, he added. Dumping of garbage at Urali Devachi was stopped when the villagers refused to allow the garbage carrying vehicles to ply in the village, he said.

In a bid to solve the crisis, Ravetkar said, the administration started dumping garbage at various privately owned plots after obtaining permissions from the owners. Dumping of garbage at these plots would be stopped when the administration starts disposing garbage at Urali Devachi depot, he added.

During their visit to the garbage dump, Gaikwad and Ravetkar spoke to the contractor who had dumped debris on the approach road and made arrangements to clear it, the PMC officials said.

The commissioner has also directed the administration to seek assistance from police, if required, to maintain the approach road in proper condition, according to Ravetkar.