Posh area of Vimannagar turns into a garbage sorting center

PUNE: Posh residential complexes, shopping malls and commercial establishments have developed Vimannagar into an elite area but when it comes to Pune Municipal Corporation's duty of taking care of the hygiene of the area, the civic body has entirely failed in its duty. The residents of Vimannagar claimed that inspite of spending Rs 10 lakh to build garbage sorting shed, but still the garbage is being segregated on streets.
The residents claimed that they have written various letters to Pune Municipal authorities but they are not paying attention to their demands of starting operations of garbage sorting sheds.

Quaneez Sukhrani, conveyor of Vimannagar Citizens forum told dna, " It is such a pathetic situation in Vimannagar area that the ragpickers keep sorting the wet and dry garbage on public spaces such as roads, parking lots, footpaths or open plots and make whole area dirty with garbage. Now the rainy days have started which adds to the unhygienic conditions prevailing in the area. There is a danger of spreading diseases in the area."

The residents claimed that PMC failed in finding open space in Vimannagar to build a sorting shed and it was the members of citizens forums who found the space for the shed. Shukhrani added, " We found an open land next to Zensar Udaan which was under Garden Department of PMC. The civic administration built a shed at the open land by spending Rs 10 lakh. The construction of the shed was completed by March end but till date it has not been used and the ragpickers have been segregating the garbage on the roads and footpaths only."\

When contacted Suresh Jagtap, head of the solid waste management department of PMC, he said, " I am not aware of the issue but I will make sure that the newly constructed garbage sorting shed is used as early as possible. I will give instructions to the staff in this regard."