Pune is facing a rapidly deteriorating cleanliness situation, marked by increasing garbage piles in public spaces, administrative chaos, and low citizen involvement. In response to this pressing issue, newly appointed Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has announced his first mission: to restore the city’s hygiene standards through a dedicated ‘Clean Pune Campaign,’ inspired by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
To maximize the campaign’s effectiveness, social organizations, NGOs, and citizens will be actively engaged. Additionally, administrative reforms are planned to address the lapses that have contributed to the current state of cleanliness.
Yesterday, the Municipal Corporation held a meeting with various NGOs to enhance public engagement and sustain cleanliness efforts. The meeting included attendance from Additional Commissioner M.J. Pradeep Chandran, Solid Waste Management Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kadam, and representatives from organizations such as the Rotary Club, Ecoexist, Swachh Pune Seva Sahakari Sanstha, and the Maratha Chamber of Commerce. Despite previous directives from the Municipal Corporation headquarters, implementation at the field level has been lacking, with local officers like Circle Commissioners and health inspectors facing criticism for negligence and poor supervision, resulting in increased waste and citizen complaints.
Commissioner Ram’s initiative aims to revitalize waste management, enforce accountability, and encourage residents to actively participate in cleanliness efforts. Key discussion points at the meeting included achieving 100% waste segregation, promoting home composting, enhancing bulk waste processing, raising settlement-level awareness, involving students, ensuring visible cleanliness, and encouraging societies to adopt zero-waste models.
Commissioner Ram stated, “Heaps of garbage are constantly visible in the city. This cannot continue. Within a month, we will launch a structured Clean Pune Campaign with citizens’ support. Administrative loopholes will be fixed, and lapses will be addressed.”
Experts emphasize that while citizen participation is vital, the real challenge lies in ensuring that ground-level officers fulfill their responsibilities diligently and that supervisory mechanisms operate without corruption or negligence. Only then can Pune aspire to become a cleaner, healthier city.
Follow Us
