Pune: Entrepreneurs and business owners in the Bhosari MIDC area have expressed their growing frustration over the irregular waste collection by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
The issue, which has been persisting for years, reached a boiling point when industrialists staged a ‘Rasta Roko’ protest to draw attention to their plight.
During the protest, led by Abhay Bhor, President of the Forum of Small Scale Industries Association, industrialists went as far as to throw accumulated garbage on the road and set it on fire, symbolizing their anger and desperation.
The protesters warned that if regular waste collection services are not resumed, they would continue dumping garbage on public streets.
The gathering included prominent industrialists such as Jasbinder Singh, Milind Kale, Pravin Chavan, and others who shared similar grievances.
According to Bhor, the waste management situation in the MIDC area has become critical. “If we dispose of the garbage on the roads, we face fines, but if we keep it within our premises, it leads to diseases,” he explained.
The situation has escalated to a point where workers in some factories can’t even eat in the vicinity of the garbage piles due to the stench and unsanitary conditions.
Over the past five years, garbage heaps have become a common sight in the industrial area, posing a serious threat to workers' health.
Reports of illnesses such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya have surfaced, with many workers falling sick and taking frequent leaves, affecting productivity.
Bhor further alleged that local scrap dealers are contributing to the problem. The waste left uncollected often contains materials valuable to scrap dealers, who sift through the piles, leaving behind larger amounts of trash.
This has caused disruptions in production lines, with several workers opting for regular sick leaves, further hampering operations in the industrial units.
In response, Bhor demanded the immediate deployment of small garbage trucks in the area to manage the waste effectively.
He warned that if the authorities do not address the issue soon, the protests will intensify, and industrialists may even resort to hunger strikes to press their demands.
The waste crisis in Bhosari MIDC not only threatens the health of the workers but also the productivity of the industries.
With industrialists determined to continue their protests until a solution is found, the municipal corporation will need to act swiftly to prevent further escalation
