Toxic smoke emitting from unattended garbage chokes Kharadi residents

Akash Dhanurkar & Renuka Suryavanshi

Residents of Kharadi have been breathing toxic air due to constant burning of waste, tyres and other sorts of waste lying on open private plots.

Troubled by the regular incidents the residents took to Twitter to raise their issue and urged local MLA Sunil Tingre to help them out.

Kharadi Residents Association’s Vice Chairman, Satish Joshi’s one month old follow ups on the errant burning of garbage in the Wagholi area went for a toss when on Friday, garbage was again burnt at multiple locations to yet again make breathing uneasy for the tax paying residents with toxic smoke all over in the air.

Satish Joshi had to raise the issue all the way on the Twitter to highlight the unresolved problem, tagging PMC and area MLA Sunil Tingre. Satish Joshi shared multiple locations in his tweets from which the toxic smoke erupts after burning of garbage in massive quantity.

1) Nagar Road, Tulja Bhavani Nagar.
2) Wagheshwar Parking.
3) Auto shops, behind Dargah.

While talking with Pune Pulse, Joshi said, “This is an unfortunate situation that even PMC is irresponsive towards the crisis. The air outside has become unbreathable now. There is smoke everywhere. Burning garbage in such open spaces is illegal anyway. I wonder what is keeping the PMC authorities from putting an end to it.”

Another resident of Kharadi and chairman of Kharadi Residents Association Nitin Memane added, “We have been taking followups for the last one month. Sadly, it has went unnoticed. I suspect that these are scrap dealers who are burning the garbage.”

Upon raising the issue with PMC Sanitary Inspector, Sushma Mundhe, she said, “We went to inspect the multiple spots reported by Joshi, but we couldn’t trace the violators defaulters there. However, we have reported garbage burning near Mahalaxmi Lawns. Upon catching these people, who are the local residents there, requested us just two days to sort the issue of garbage in their land. We will look if they resolve the issue within coming two days. If not, we will file a Police complaint against the violators.”

Sounding contradictory to the Mundhe’s answer Madhav Jagtap, Solid Waste Management in charge of Pune Municipal Corporation said, “Not even two days will be given to these people who have been burning garbage for almost a month. Immediately, action will be taken.”

When Pune Pulse contacted MLA Of Vadgaon Sheri constituency said, “Soon after the issue was raised to me on twitter, action was taken and plot owner was sent notice by PMC. He has been collecting waste and lighting it.”

Mehzabin Sayied, secretary, Nyati Empire society said, “In the past we have raised this issue too but the results lasts only for few hours. There is no permanent solution to this. How long do we inhale such toxic chemicals harming people at large. With the pandemic around many people are facing breathing difficulties and this has just added to our problems. We demand that PMC should take a concrete action and resolve our problem.”