PMC cuts garbage load at Kothrud

PUNE, March 30: Taking serious note of the fire that broke out last week and stiff opposition from local residents, the Pune Municipal Co...

PUNE, March 30: Taking serious note of the fire that broke out last week and stiff opposition from local residents, the Pune Municipal Corporation has finally considerably reduced the dumping of garbage at its Kothrud depot.

Officials said the PMC is dumping only 100 tonnes of garbage at Kothrud at present as against the dumping of 450 to 500 tonnes of garbage before the fire broke out last week. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure since the fire was unlikely to be completely controlled till the arrival monsoon.

The civic authorities initially dumped 200 to 250 tonnes of garbage after the fire. It has been brought down to 100 tonnes within a week. Sources said the garbage would not be unloaded at Kothrud once three alternate sites suggested by the State Government become operational. They maintained that unloading of garbage at Kothrud was expected to be stopped within a month. About 450 to 500 tonnes of garbage was being dumped at Kothrud depot since 1990.

At present, the PCM is dumping 125 tonnes of garbage in a quarry at Ramtekdi on Pune-Solapur Road. The quarry would be filled with the garbage as the PMC has proposed to set up a garden there. The officials said 450 tonnes garbage is being unloaded at Urali Dewachi while 100 tonnes of garbage is being dumped at Kothrud depot. The sources said about 700 to 750 tonnes of garbage is being generated in the city.

Meanwhile, the area around the garbage depot at Kothrud continues to be engulfed by smoke even after the sixth day. A fire fighting machine has been permanently deployed at the garbage depot to bring the fire under control. However, it has not been curbed completely since the PMC is reportedly not equipped with modern techniques to stop the generation of methane gas out of garbage.

Rajput elected: Rajendrasingh Rajput has been elected president of the Poona Timber Small Scale Industries Association. Other office-bearers are Lalchand Sanghavi, vice-president, Ramjibhai Patel, secretary, and Chaganbhai Patel, treasurer.