The Times of India           07.10.2013 

Garbage depot may come up in Punavale

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is likely to get possession of 22 hectares of forest land in Punavale this month for developing its second garbage depot. If approved, the new depot will reduce the burden on the existing one at Moshi.

Sanjay Kulkarni, executive engineer of PCMC's environment department, said, "The town planning department of the PCMC is expected to get possession of the land from the district collectorate this month. The PCMC will then level the land and complete other necessary work in the next six months so that the new depot becomes operational," he said.

A senior civic official in the town planning department said, "The district collectorate is expected to give us 22 hectare of forest land in survey number 23 in Punawale village, located off Katraj-Dehu Road bypass in Pimpri Chinchwad. They have completed measurement of the five-acre stretch of private land, which is adjacent to the forest land needed for the depot. The land acquisition process of this land is being looked after by the district collectorate.''

The civic body had paid the forest department Rs 3.53 crore for acquisition of land three years ago. But, the residents of Punavale and nearby villages of Ravet, Tathawade, Wakad and others opposed the garbage depot plan due to stink and pollution the garbage will create for them and that the depot will be a nuisance for newly developing areas. The residents had also held agitations in the past regarding the issue.

The present garbage depot in Moshi is spread on a stretch of 80-acre land. The daily garbage generated in the city measures around 650 tonnes. The civic body has implemented measures like vermicompost and mechanical composting to reduce the garbage dumped at the depot in Moshi.

Large numbers of residential constructions have come up around the depot and residents have asked the civic body to shift the depot to another place. They have complained of foul smell and flies that have increased in number because of the garbage. Moreover, the civic body will soon run out of open space at Moshi depot for dumping garbage which makes the second garbage depot an urgent requirement.