Pune: SWaCH Waste Pickers Urge Maharashtra Chief Minister For Long-Term Commitment Amid Uncertainty
Pune, 13th October 2023: SWaCH, a globally recognized waste management model in Pune, is facing an uncertain future despite its significant contributions to the city and accolades from top government officials. The waste pickers of SWaCH have been tirelessly trying to reach out to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, urging them to fulfill their promises for long-term institutional support.
For 17 years, SWaCH has partnered with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), collecting waste from nearly 9.65 lakh properties and saving the PMC over ₹1000 crores in the last decade. The model has achieved near 100% waste segregation and reduced landfill dumping by lakhs of tons. Despite these accomplishments and recent recognition at the ‘Ma Ta Sanman’ Awards in March 2023, the model has been subjected to short-term extensions, the latest of which expires on October 26.
While the model has received praise from the Swachh Bharat Mission and has been studied by officials from multiple countries, there has been little investment to improve it. Compared to cities like Indore and Pimpri Chinchwad, SWaCH operates with significantly fewer resources. Equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) for waste pickers have been consistently delayed, and enforcement for non-payment of user fees remains lax.
Private operators, often backed by political or profit motives, are allowed to operate freely, posing a threat to the waste picker-driven model. These operators are not held to the same standards of waste segregation, recycling, or worker rights. The PMC’s short-term extensions have hindered any long-term improvements, raising concerns that the model may eventually be replaced by private contractors.
With the current arrangement set to expire on October 26, waste pickers are appealing to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to make good on their promises and break the cycle of inaction and uncertainty that plagues this sustainable model.
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