Fed up with recurring fires at garbage depot, Uruli & Phursungi residents warn of agitation

Pune: Residents of Uruli Devachi and Phursungi have warned of agitation if Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) failed to address recurring fires at the local garbage depot. The latest blaze broke out at the depot on Tuesday evening and raged till early Wednesday morning.
Though PMC has stopped dumping garbage at the depot, the administration has continued operating the processing plant. A bio-mining project is also underway at the site.
The residents said trucks loaded with waste were arriving at the processing site every day. "The recurring fires at the site were exacerbating air pollution and contributing to rising temperatures in the area. If the fires continue, the residents may be forced to block PMC garbage trucks from entering the area. PMC should mull over deploying a team near the site to prevent and control fires," activist and resident Bhagwan Bhadale said. He blamed the civic administration for not taking adequate measures to control the recurring fires at the site.
Another resident, Jitendra Shinde, said, "Over 50 water tankers arrived at the depot to control the Tuesday fire. The administration was supposed to lay water pipelines to overcome such episodes."
Uruli Devachi and Phursungi were brought under the PMC jurisdiction in 2017. However, state govt reversed the decision last year, demerging the two areas from the PMC limits in response to a demand from the residents. Now, plans are afoot to form a separate municipal council for these areas.
Though demerged from the civic limits, PMC is providing basic amenities to the two areas.
PMC officials said steps were being taken to control the recurring fires at the depot. "We have directed local staff to increase vigilance at the vulnerable spots. We will hold talks with the residents to work out a solution," an official said.
Sandip Kadam, head of the PMC's solid waste management department, said the increase in temperature was the prime reason for the rise in fires at the depot.