Pune: PMC Revives Plan To Set Up Animal Waste Processing Plant Amidst Opposition
Pune Municipal Corporation Under Fire for Approving Contractor’s Bitumen Bill Before Probe Report Submission in Alleged Scam
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has floated a tender to set up an animal waste processing plant, despite facing strong opposition from residents earlier. The move aims to tackle the issue of animal waste from shops being dumped in open areas or drains, attracting stray animals and rodents.
According to PMC’s primary survey, there are over 10,000 vendors selling mutton and chicken across the city, generating a significant amount of animal waste. To address this, the civic body plans to appoint an independent consultant to collect data on legal and illegal outlets and set up a system for waste collection and processing.
Prithviraj BP, additional municipal commissioner, stated that the project will involve charging shop owners a fee for waste collection and implementing scientific waste disposal methods. The central government has instructed municipal bodies to set up animal waste processing units, adhering to environmental safety norms.
The PMC had initially planned to set up the plant in the Uruli Devachi area but delayed the project due to opposition from residents. Although the site for the new plant has not been disclosed, the civic body has identified a suitable location, meeting the central government’s requirements of 20 gunthas with a 200-metre buffer zone.
In a separate development, the PMC’s dead animal waste processing centre in Mundhwa, built at a cost of ₹3 crore, is set to restart within a month’s time. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had lifted its stay on the project, allowing the facility to resume operations with a processing capacity of one tonne.
