PCMC Waste Crisis: Corporator Rahul Kalate Calls for Citywide Plan and More Sanitation Staff

Pimpri-Chinchwad, 3rd September 2026: Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) must immediately allocate adequate officers, sanitation workers, spraying staff, equipment and other resources to the newly created wards, municipal corporator Rahul Kalate has demanded, pointing out that the new ward structure has been announced but ward-wise manpower and machinery are yet to be properly planned and distributed.

Kalate raised the issue during the PCMC General Body meeting held on September 2, where he questioned the administration over the city’s sanitation and waste management system.

He said merely creating new wards on paper would not improve civic services unless they were supported by adequate manpower and resources. The absence of proper ward-wise arrangements, he said, was contributing to growing concerns over cleanliness and waste management across the city.

Kalate also called for an integrated approach to waste management, noting that the waste generated in the city varies in nature and therefore requires appropriate systems for collection, segregation, processing and disposal.

“The waste issue should not be viewed as a problem limited to a particular locality. It is an issue concerning the entire Pimpri-Chinchwad city and requires an integrated approach,” Kalate said.

‘No Politics Over Moshi or Punawale Waste Issue’
Kalate also criticised political arguments surrounding the location of waste facilities following the recent unfortunate incident at Moshi. He said public concerns should be addressed based on ground realities rather than political narratives.

“Instead of indulging in politics that misleads citizens over the waste issue, it is important to understand the circumstances prevailing at different points in time,” he said.

Kalate pointed out that when the Moshi waste depot was planned in 1991, the area was relatively sparsely populated and was not located close to the city’s major residential settlements.

However, he said the situation was significantly different when the possibility of reserving land for waste management in the Tathawade-Punawale area was being considered. The area has since undergone extensive urbanisation and now has a dense residential population.

“Instead of trading allegations over the location of waste facilities, decisions must be taken by keeping citizens’ health, safety and the future planning of the city in mind. A comprehensive assessment is needed of the present situation, the city’s future expansion and which option would best serve citizens,” Kalate said.

He added that waste management was not an issue confined to Moshi, Punawale or any other individual locality, but a city-wide challenge.

“Party politics and local considerations should be kept aside and a permanent, scientific solution should be developed for the city as a whole. As public representatives, ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment for citizens is our collective responsibility,” Kalate said.

Kalate urged the PCMC administration to urgently strengthen sanitation arrangements in the newly formed wards by providing adequate manpower, machinery and equipment. He also called for a comprehensive city-wide plan for scientific and sustainable waste management.