Wagholi: Frustrated By Garbage Disposal Problem, 10-Year-Old Girl Writes To Gram Panchayat
Mehab Qureshi 
Pune, November 19, 2020: As the garbage menace continues in Wagholi amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Pihu Ranjan, a 10-year-old girl, has written a letter to Gram panchayat requesting to arrange dustbins around Wagholi because of the failure of a garbage processing plant.
Despite raising repeated requests with the Gram Panchayat members, Wagholi Housing Society Association (WHSA) seems to have no luck. Taking the matter into her hands, the Std V student wrote a letter to the Sarpanch Vasundhara Ubale and is now awaiting a response from their end.
Pihu writes, “Dear madam, I really appreciate that you’re giving dustbin in houses and improvement you are doing in Wagholi. But nowadays I am seeing that there is lots of garbage in Wagholi and there is a pile of garbage at the back of my house and people burn it. It’s really hazardous for our health. So if you can install a dustbin in Wagholi, it will be really appreciated by us, and this will help to maintain a clean environment. Expecting a positive response from you.”
Speaking to Punekarnews.in, Ranjan said, “there is a lot of garbage behind our house, and it really smells bad every time. Some people also burn it in the night time.” Sharing his thoughts on his daughter’s letter, father Binit Ranjan said, “I live in Emerald Isle, and we have been facing this issue for quite a few years now. Fed up with the situation, my daughter has written this letter to the sarpanch.”
Wagholi residents have alleged that during the night hours the waste has been burnt, which is hazardous to health, especially during the COVID times. “Gram Panchayat had considered the matter and arranged a temporary processing plant, but however, this idea failed miserably. Nevertheless, all the waste has been disposed of behind this society and is burnt in the night. We request the administration to take this matter seriously,” said Nitin Jain, Director WHSA.
Another member, Sanjeev Patil from WHSA said, “gram panchayat is trying hard for a Garbage Processing plant. PMRDA has also sanctioned the budget, but the process is pending due to the land allocation. Recently, the panchayat along with NGO SWaCH did door-to-door garbage collection, but this is not enough as garbage disposal remains unresolved at the end.”
Appreciating the efforts of the little girl, Ayush Prasad, CEO, Zilla Parishad said, “I am happy to see the initiative taken by the child and to participate in the issues faced by the community. Through our school education system, we have always strived to develop such young citizens.” Talking about the problems faced by the people, Prasad said, “the issues of solid waste management in Wagholi has emerged due to sudden and massive urbanisation — where 52 tons of waste is generated daily, but roughly only 45 tons of waste gets processed.”
Prasad added, “since joining as CEO ZP of Pune, waste management at Wagholi and other places in the district has been our highest priority. Currently, two major waste management plants are proposed on 40 guntas of land each one from PMRDA costing Rs 8 crore and another from CER funds of a company costing a similar amount. These projects would enhance our waste-collecting disposal abilities. The projects await land allotment from the District Collector, who awaits the NOC of the Defence Forces.”
“With regard to waste collection, we have engaged a major NGO that has mobilised waste pickers. We are hoping to recruit more waste pickers and sweepers. I request the people of Wagholi to come together to solve the problem of waste management, as demanded by one of its youngest citizens. I also request that local body taxes be paid on time as well,” appealed Prasad.
