The solid waste department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has published its action plan with respect to open waste burning in Pune on its website on December 17, as ordered by National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) Western Zone bench.
The document laid out PMC’s actions on chronic waste burning spots, increase in fines for open waste burning, number of complaints received and fines imposed, and details about the flying squad fleet monitoring solid waste burning.
The NGT order (ORIGINAL APPLICATION NO.34 OF 2024 (WZ)) from May 29 stated that the “Solid Waste Management Department of Pune Municipal Corporation-respondent no.3 shall conduct review of garbage burning measures on monthly basis, and whatever action that is taken, will be posted on the website of PMC for public purposes.”
However, this action plan by the solid waste management department is the only document uploaded by PMC in compliance with this order since May.
Previously, activist group Pune Air Action Hub had criticised PMC for not publishing monthly reports on its website. Hub member Pushkar Kulkarni had said last month, “A recent NGT judgment mandated that PMC put out monthly reports of open waste burning cases and measures taken on its website. Even after six months, this has not been done.
Information about mobile squads that provide timely response to open waste burning complaints, is also not readily available. It is often found that burning is done in the evenings and at night at some particular spots so there is a need for effective night time vigilance and response systems.”
What the action plan states
The document states that between June and December 2024, a total of 44 complaints regarding open burning were lodged including app-based online platforms and telephone calls. In response, PMC imposed fines amounting to Rs 2,20,000 on individuals engaging in open burning.
The PMC has also increased the spot fine for open waste burning tenfold from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000. Eight flying squad vehicles operated by the corporation keep watch over the city to control open burning, to uphold the plastic ban, and to tackle other solid waste management (SWM) rule breaches.
Data regarding chronic waste burning spots in the city was also shared in the document. PMC claims that of the 928 chronic spots in the city at the beginning of the year, 719 of 928 spots have been cleared. Out of the cleared spots, 230 have also been beautified. The Hadapsar-Mundhwa region has the highest number of chronic spots (44 yet to be cleared) and Kothrud-Bavdhan region has just one chronic spot left, as per the document.
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