PMC Increases Garbage Collection Fee by Rs 5, Implements Fines for Waste Pickers
In a big news there from Pune, the local civic body called Pune Municipal Corporation or PMC seems to has taken a strict measures against the waste pickers cooperative SWaCH. This is in response to complaints regarding waste spillage at feeder points and persistent garbage in certain areas. The PMC has introduced penalties on the organization for such incidents, alongside an increase of Rs 5 in charges for door-to-door waste collection.
The agreement between the PMC and SWaCH cooperative has been extended for the next five years, until 2029. To address the concerns raised against waste pickers during doorstep collections, the revised agreement includes provisions to hold the SWaCH organization more accountable. Sandeep Kadam, the incharge of the civic solid waste management department, highlighted the need for these measures.
Under the revised rates for door-to-door segregated waste collection services, residential houses will now be charged Rs 85 each, commercial properties Rs 170, and houses in slums Rs 65.
To tackle the issue of waste persisting in areas due to waste pickers, the civic administration has decided to impose penalties on SWaCH. If an area continues to face problems, a penalty of Rs 500 will be imposed on the responsible waste picker. If this violation is repeated three times, the work in that area will be transferred to another waste collection agency.
It is the responsibility of SWaCH representatives to ensure that the feeder points, where waste is deposited with civic waste collecting vehicles, remain clean. If any feeder point is found to be unclean, the waste picker responsible for that area will face penalties, as stated by Kadam.
These measures aim to improve waste management and maintain cleanliness in Pune. By holding the waste pickers cooperative accountable and implementing penalties for negligence, the PMC hopes to address the concerns raised by residents and former corporators. Stay tuned for more only with us.
