Pune's municipal contractors have been directed to begin waste processing operations earlier, following complaints that the current late start is causing significant delays in the city’s garbage management system.
Although road sweeping and garbage collection begin early in the morning, waste processing plants, managed by contractors, often do not start operations until 8 or 9 AM, leading to long queues of garbage trucks waiting outside.
The city generates approximately 2,200 tons of waste daily, which is segregated into dry and wet waste for processing. Household waste is collected through the sanitation department, after which it is transported to ramps by municipal trucks. From these ramps, the waste is loaded onto larger trucks and taken to the processing plants.
To ensure the roads are clean and garbage is collected before the markets open and traffic increases, the municipal machinery starts work early in the morning. By 1 or 2 PM, all work is usually completed.
However, the waste processing plants operated by the contractors are starting as late as 8 or 9 AM, causing garbage-carrying vehicles to wait outside.
Despite the arrival of waste, contractors are not starting the plants on time, leaving vehicles queued for 2 to 3 hours. This results in waste piling up at the ramps and disrupting the entire process.
Municipal employees have complained to officials about this, and despite the Solid Waste Management Deputy Commissioner issuing instructions to start the plants earlier, the contractors have not made any improvements.
A meeting with the contractors was held today (26th) by Additional Commissioner Prithviraj B. P. During the meeting, the issues caused by the late start of the plants were highlighted, and contractors were instructed to plan to start the plants at 7 AM and implement this immediately.
The plants are shut down during lunchtime, with all workers taking their meal break at the same time, leading to vehicle queues even in the afternoon. Additional Commissioner Prithviraj B. P. has instructed that some workers should remain on duty while others take their lunch to avoid shutting down the plants completely.
