PCMC’s plan to waste transfer station in Kiwale faces residents’ anger

Pune: The plan of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to set up waste transfer stations at several locations across the city, in line with the Indore model, faced opposition once again, this time from residents of Kiwale.A senior official of PCMC confirmed that they temporarily halted the project in Kiwale and the civic body would proceed only after taking residents into confidence.In July last year, the civic body faced similar opposition from citizens in the Chovisawadi-Charholi area and the municipal commissioner decided to change the location of the proposed facility. The civic body is yet to find a new place for the waste transfer station in Charholi. Besides, residents of other areas like Sangvi, Nigdi and Borhadewadi, where such facilities have been proposed, also objected to it.Sarika Dhurgude, a resident of K Ville society, located opposite the proposed waste transfer station in Kiwale, said, "Our developer or PCMC never informed us that such a facility would come up around our society. If there was a reservation for it, the municipal officials should have marked the area to maintain the distance of such facilities from residential areas. It is so close to our society that some residents could even see garbage from their balconies."Amol Kalekar, a resident of Sai Platina society, said the municipal corporation failed to provide basic facilities like adequate water supply or roads in their area, but they are now adding to their woes by setting up such a facility. "The waste transfer station would increase health issues as waste from all the surrounding areas would come here. We demand that it should be relocated somewhere away from the residential area," he said.Amit Bajare, a resident of Prospera society, which is located close to the proposed site, said, "We know that the foul smell from Moshi garbage depot was spreading in at least a 5km radius and we fear a similar thing would happen if this facility came up to our area. Even if it was just a transfer station, the waste would be stored here."The PCMC proposed 16 such waste transfer stations, two in each ward, to ensure that the solid waste is transferred in big compactors, the closed garbage collection trucks, to the Moshi depot. However, the civic officials managed to set up only three of them, one each in Kalewadi, Kasarwadi and Gawli Matha areas. Additionally, there are around 20 to 25 roadside waste collection centres from where the waste is transported directly to the Moshi garbage depot.Sanjay Kulkarni, the city engineer and head of the PCMC's environment department, said, "The waste collected in small vehicles would be transferred to big compactor trucks automatically without any manual interference at these waste transfer stations. It would reduce the number of vehicles going to Moshi depot. Since the compactors would be completely covered, there would not be any spillage. It would not create any problem for the residents at all. They should cooperate with the municipal officials." Pune: The plan of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to set up waste transfer stations at several locations across the city, in line with the Indore model, faced opposition once again, this time from residents of Kiwale.A senior official of PCMC confirmed that they temporarily halted the project in Kiwale and the civic body would proceed only after taking residents into confidence.In July last year, the civic body faced similar opposition from citizens in the Chovisawadi-Charholi area and the municipal commissioner decided to change the location of the proposed facility. The civic body is yet to find a new place for the waste transfer station in Charholi. Besides, residents of other areas like Sangvi, Nigdi and Borhadewadi, where such facilities have been proposed, also objected to it.Sarika Dhurgude, a resident of K Ville society, located opposite the proposed waste transfer station in Kiwale, said, "Our developer or PCMC never informed us that such a facility would come up around our society. If there was a reservation for it, the municipal officials should have marked the area to maintain the distance of such facilities from residential areas. It is so close to our society that some residents could even see garbage from their balconies."Amol Kalekar, a resident of Sai Platina society, said the municipal corporation failed to provide basic facilities like adequate water supply or roads in their area, but they are now adding to their woes by setting up such a facility. "The waste transfer station would increase health issues as waste from all the surrounding areas would come here. We demand that it should be relocated somewhere away from the residential area," he said.Amit Bajare, a resident of Prospera society, which is located close to the proposed site, said, "We know that the foul smell from Moshi garbage depot was spreading in at least a 5km radius and we fear a similar thing would happen if this facility came up to our area. Even if it was just a transfer station, the waste would be stored here."The PCMC proposed 16 such waste transfer stations, two in each ward, to ensure that the solid waste is transferred in big compactors, the closed garbage collection trucks, to the Moshi depot. However, the civic officials managed to set up only three of them, one each in Kalewadi, Kasarwadi and Gawli Matha areas. Additionally, there are around 20 to 25 roadside waste collection centres from where the waste is transported directly to the Moshi garbage depot.Sanjay Kulkarni, the city engineer and head of the PCMC's environment department, said, "The waste collected in small vehicles would be transferred to big compactor trucks automatically without any manual interference at these waste transfer stations. It would reduce the number of vehicles going to Moshi depot. Since the compactors would be completely covered, there would not be any spillage. It would not create any problem for the residents at all. They should cooperate with the municipal officials."