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Pimpri-Chinchwad: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) general body meeting on Wednesday witnessed chaotic scenes as corporators across party lines demanded a CBI or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Moshi garbage depot tragedy that claimed nine lives. Members also sought a fast-track trial against those responsible and pressed for strict action against officials and contractors, including the charge of culpable homicide.
The meeting, chaired by Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Ravi Landge, began with tributes to the nine workers who died in the landfill collapse. However, the proceedings soon turned stormy as corporators raised slogans, rushed to the mayor's dais and demanded an immediate stop to dumping garbage at the Moshi landfill.
‘Moshi Depot Has Reached Its Capacity’
Corporators from the Moshi area said the landfill had reached its capacity and declared they would not allow any more waste to be brought there. Heated arguments broke out three times among corporators from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), disrupting the proceedings.
Corporator Uttam Kendale demanded a CBI or SIT inquiry into the tragedy. He said the administration and the elected house were responsible for the incident. He also called for a large-scale bio-mining project and a second waste-to-energy plant to reduce the city’s dependence on the Moshi landfill.
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‘All Political Parties Are Responsible’
Corporator Sachin Tapkir said all political parties, including the BJP, were responsible for the failure to develop an alternative garbage depot at Punawale. Nikhil Borhade questioned why Moshi had been handling the city’s garbage for the past 35 years and asked whether the village had accepted responsibility for the entire city’s waste. Archana Saste demanded steps to reduce the burden on the landfill.
Corporator Sarika Gaikwad demanded Rs 1 crore compensation and permanent housing for the families of the nine deceased workers. Sandeep Waghere sought the dismissal of suspended officials Sanjay Kulkarni and Yogesh Alhat.
Tensions escalated when Waghere alleged that some elected representatives had not visited the accident site. He also claimed that while unauthorised structures in Kudalwadi were demolished quickly, rescue operations at the landfill were not carried out with the same urgency. His remarks triggered protests from BJP corporators from the Bhosari constituency, who interrupted his speech. Waghere responded by asking whether the civic body was functioning like a dictatorship.
Sit-In Protest Before GB Meeting…
Before the general body meeting began, workers of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the Congress, and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a sit-in protest outside the meeting hall. The protest delayed the start of the meeting by around 25 minutes. Also, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena corporators protested by throwing representative garbage at photos of Chief Engineer Sanjay Kulkarni and Executive Engineer Yogesh Alhat.
The protesters demanded an SIT investigation into the landfill collapse, registration of culpable homicide cases against negligent officials and contractors, and Rs 1 crore compensation for each victim’s family.
Social activist Manav Kamble claimed the incident was not an accident but a case of homicide caused by alleged administrative negligence and corruption. He demanded criminal action against senior officials of the Antony Lara Company, as well as suspended PCMC officials Sanjay Kulkarni and Yogesh Alhat.
