Solid Waste Management in Pune in Disarray, Says Citizens’ Forum Convenor
Viman Nagar, 10th July 2025: Citizens in Pune continue to grapple with poor solid waste management despite the city’s aspirations under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Highlighting the persistent challenges, Qaneez Sukhrani, Convenor of the Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum, has called on the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to overhaul its waste management system with expert guidance and strict accountability.
“While cities like Indore have consistently topped the cleanliness rankings for a decade, Pune still struggles with basic waste handling mechanisms,” said Sukhrani, in a note submitted to civic authorities.
She stressed that PMC must engage qualified solid waste management experts to create a comprehensive and practical action plan, rather than relying solely on NGOs whose operational goals may differ.
Key Recommendations from Citizens Forum:
Accountability at All Levels: Accountability must be fixed at various levels—especially among mukadams, field staff, and contractual workers—to ensure consistent performance.
Ward-Level Weekly Clean-Up Drives: Each ward must undertake deep clean drives every week, including non-elite areas, with action taken against underperforming staff.
Neglected Areas Must Not Be Overlooked: Several areas remain ignored by sweepers and supervisors, leading to garbage accumulation and unmanaged garden waste.
Dedicated Land for Dumping Unsegregated Waste: Government land along arterial roads should be designated for unsegregated waste dumping, ensuring it does not inconvenience local residents.
Engagement of Qualified Staff for Segregation: Trained staff should handle waste segregation and disposal within a defined timeframe.
Shift Garbage Collection to Night-Time: The sweeping and garbage lifting schedule should be shifted to night hours, as many societies report non-collection by compacting vehicles during the day.
Reduce Number of Sweepers per Group: Smaller groups will ensure individual accountability in sweeping and garbage collection duties.
Include Garden Waste in Regular Collection: Garbage pickup must include cut branches and leaves, especially during the monsoon, to prevent mosquito breeding.
Follow-Up Vehicle for Tree Trimming: When branches are cut by PMC staff or contractors, a follow-up vehicle must be deployed to collect the debris immediately.
Door-to-Door Awareness Campaigns: A public outreach campaign must be launched to promote citizen responsibility and inclusiveness in maintaining cleanliness.
Fix Responsibility of Senior Officers: Assistant Commissioners and Zonal Commissioners should take daily rounds, and Additional or Municipal Commissioners should conduct early morning surprise inspections to assess the ground reality.
“Zero garbage is not an impossible dream,” Sukhrani stated. “But PMC must move beyond token gestures and implement a structured, expert-led model backed by real-time accountability and citizen engagement.”
