As the capacity of the dumping ground is likely to soon get over, the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made it mandatory for housing societies to segregate waste at source. The ghanta gadi will not collect garbage if not segregated as per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The dumping ground located at Taloja MIDC where the civic body dumps around 450 MTs of garbage every day will soon full its capacity. According to civic officials, since there is no alternate available, waste management at the source with people’s participation is the only option left.
The civic body has asked housing societies to segregate waste in four categories, namely dry waste, wet waste, household waste, and biological waste.
Anil Kokare, a senior official from the Solid Waste Management (SWM) department of PMC said that the civic body cannot use the dumping ground for more than three months.
“As per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, housing societies and commercial establishments have to manage waste at source,” said Kokare, adding that it is more public participation.
“We will soon run out of the capacity and a very difficult situation will arise before the civic administration and citizens,” said Kokare. Around 450 MT of garbage is generated every day in the PMC area.
The civic body does not have a plot for dumping ground. “We have already asked for a plot from CIDCO for dumping ground where we can also process the waste,” said another civic official. The CIDCO is looking for a plot that is away from housing settlements. In October last year, the PMC had taken over the responsibility to collect garbage.
The purpose of the segregation of housing societies is to ensure that minimum waste ends up at dumping ground.
At present, the civic body will not take action against housing societies but will reward societies to manage waste within the premises. “Citizen’s participation is always required for such work. However, there is planning to give a rebate to housing societies in property tax of waste is managed at the source,” said the official.
