Pune: Garbage Menace In Baner-Balewadi, Residents Demand Urgent Action By PMC
Balewadi, 1st September 2023: Residents of Baner-Balewadi in Pune are raising concerns over the mounting garbage menace in their area, as new dumping and sorting sites have emerged, exacerbating an already pressing issue.
Dry and wet waste continues to accumulate along the highway service road near old Jakat Naka, behind the PMPML bus depot in Balewadi. Furthermore, a new garbage dumping and sorting site has been established adjacent to the weekly vegetable market, within the amenity space near Marvel Brisa Society.
At the Monthly Mohalla Committee Meeting held at the Aundh Ward Office of PMC, Ashish Kotamkar, Joint Secretary of the Balewadi Welfare Federation, voiced these concerns. “This indiscriminate dumping of dry and wet waste is not only endangering the health of nearby residents and passersby but is also polluting the surrounding atmosphere. The pervasive smell emanating from the waste is making the service road virtually unusable, thereby adding to traffic congestion on the highway and other internal roads in Balewadi,” stated Kotamkar.
Kotamkar further emphasized the negative image this presents for Baner-Balewadi, as it serves as a gateway to Pune city from the Mumbai-Bangalore highway and is a part of the Pune Smart City Project. “This unsightly and unsanitary situation is an embarrassment for our city, especially when it comes to hosting VIP guests and dignitaries who frequently visit Pune from Mumbai, Bangalore, and other places,” he added.
Responding to the concerns raised by the Balewadi Welfare Federation, a letter has been submitted to Girish Dapkekar, Assistant Commissioner of PMC, urging him to address this issue urgently and relocate the garbage dump sites promptly.
In response, Dapkekar swiftly took action, instructing relevant officials, including representatives from Swach, to identify alternative locations for garbage sorting and to cease the dumping of wet waste at these open sites in the Baner-Balewadi area.
During the meeting, other Federation office bearers, namely Mashalkar, Moreshwar Balwadkar, and Ameya Jagtap, were also present to lend their support to this pressing matter. As residents eagerly await the resolution of the garbage menace, it remains to be seen how swiftly the PMC can tackle this critical issue and restore cleanliness to the Baner-Balewadi locality.
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