Pimpri Chinchwad’s Garbage Crisis: MPCB Notice Puts Civic Body In Trouble
Pimpri Chinchwad’s Garbage Crisis: MPCB Notice Puts Civic Body In Trouble
Pune, January 17, 2025 – The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued a notice to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) regarding violations in the management of the Moshi garbage depot. This development follows an earlier study by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) identifying 22 methane emission hotspots across India, which included the Moshi garbage depot.
After ISRO’s findings, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had set up a committee to recommend measures to curb methane emissions. MPCB later sought updates from PCMC regarding the implementation of these recommendations. While the civic body provided a response, it failed to satisfy MPCB officials. A subsequent inspection of the garbage depot revealed several irregularities, leading to the issuance of the notice.
MPCB noted several violations in its notice, including the absence of bioremediation for COVID-era biomedical waste, improper disposal of burnt oil, lack of methane management systems, and insufficient waste-processing capacity. The depot also lacks equipment to monitor methane emissions or firefighting systems for safety.
MPCB Directives to PCMC:
- Stop dumping new waste at the depot.
- Submit a time-bound plan for bioremediation.
- Install methane detection systems and firefighting equipment.
- Regularly monitor methane emissions.
- Maintain records of waste dumped at the depot.
- Process 100% of the accumulated waste.
- Deposit ₹2 lakh as a bank guarantee with MPCB within 15 days.
Failure to comply within the stipulated 15-day period could result in legal action, warned Jagannath Salunkhe, MPCB Regional Officer.
Environment Department, Sanjay Kulkarni clarified that COVID-era biomedical waste was treated and disposed of at a facility within YCM Hospital. He also stated that bioremediation has been ongoing at the depot for the past year and assured that necessary updates would be provided to MPCB.
