PMC asks EC to clear waste treatment plant files

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has requested the Election Commission (EC) to allow it to complete the documentation work of three waste treatment plants, which are on hold due to implemented code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in October 2018, ordered PMC to stop dumping waste at Uruli Devachi and Phursungi dumping sites. NGT also asked the corporation to install waste treatment plants for treating city’s waste. Following the NGT orders, PMC decided to install nine such treatment plants.

Dnyaneshwar Molak, chief of solid waste management department, PMC, said, “While the administrative work for six treatment plants have been completed, work for the remaining three is stuck as the model code of conduct came into effect.” The deadline given to us by the NGT for commencing operations at the three waste treatment plants in Hadapsar, Amebgaon and Lohegaon was December 31, 2019, he added.

According to a BMC senior official, Pune generates 2,000 metric tons of garbage daily out of which corporation treats 1,274 metric tons of waste currently, 180 tons of the remaining waste are handover to farmers for manure preparation purpose and the rest is being dumped at Uruli Devachi and Phursungi dumping sites.

“By January 2020, all the waste generated in the city will be treated at the waste treatment plants in the city. It is our aim to completely stop dumping the garbage in open ground,” said Molak.