Pune: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and SWaCH Pune Seva Sahakari Sanstha have jointly launched the Swachhta Peth – Zero Waste Kasba Bhavani pilot project, aiming to ensure 100 per cent door-to-door waste collection and cleaner public spaces in the historic Kasba and Bhavani Peth areas.
The zero-waste pilot was inaugurated on Friday as part of PMC and SWaCH’s efforts to make Kasba and Bhavani Peth cleaner, more organised, and environmentally sustainable. Under the initiative, SWaCH will provide door-to-door waste collection services seven days a week across the entire area, covering slums, chawls, and small households in this culturally significant part of the city.
PMC has announced an incentive allowance of Rs 50 for waste pickers working in these localities. Shops and street vendors along Laxmi Road will also be brought under the project, with waste collection services provided in the evening on a user-fee basis. Special arrangements have been made for Sunday waste collection by appointing additional waste pickers.
The inauguration programme was attended by Kasba MLA Hemant Rasne, Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Additional Commissioner Pavaneet Kaur, Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Avinash Sakpal, and 11 newly elected corporators from the Kasba–Bhavani Peth area, along with senior PMC officials, SWaCH representatives, waste pickers, and local citizens.
Speaking at the event, MLA Hemant Rasne highlighted the importance of preserving Kasba Peth’s historical legacy through cleanliness and discipline. He urged PMC to take strict action against those who deface public spaces, citing Indore’s success in cleanliness due to strict enforcement.
Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said that while Pune excels in education and IT, it lags behind in cleanliness. “Garbage management is a shared responsibility of the administration and citizens. Strengthening SWaCH’s seven-day door-to-door collection and implementing the slum subsidy system effectively will be key,” he said.
Additional Commissioner Pavaneet Kaur highlighted that the project aims to further strengthen SWaCH’s globally recognised model while empowering waste pickers. “The partnership between waste pickers and the administration is Pune’s real strength,” she noted.
SWaCH CEO Lubna Anantkrishnan said the pilot marks the first step towards upgrading the nearly two-decade-old SWaCH–PMC model to meet the city’s evolving solid waste challenges. Waste picker and SWaCH board member Vidya Naiknavare added that the project prioritises uninterrupted service through night-time collection, replacement systems, and alternative staffing, with PMC supporting remuneration for additional workers.
