Alert Citizens’ Forum (Jagruk Nagrik Manch) wants chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take action against civic officials who have failed to meet the deadline for shutting Adharwadi dumping ground.
The NGO, which is following up on solid waste management issues in Kalyan and Dombivli, has written to Fadnavis, asking him to withhold salaries of civic officials who are responsible for the delay in starting Umbarde scientific land filling.
In July, Fadnavis directed civic commissioner Govind Bodke to shut Adharwadi dump yard and had set a deadline of September15 to ready the Umbarde scientific landfill project. The CM had warned the corporation that if they failed to meet the deadline, salaries of the civic officials would be withheld.
“Since the civic body has again failed to meet the deadline, there is a need to act against the officials. The CM should ensure the salaries of the officials are withheld,” said Sreeniwas Ghanekar, founder of the forum.
Civic officials had ensured to speed up the work and meet the deadline. There is no development in the project.
“The closure of Adharwadi dumping ground has been delayed and Umbarde landfill is not ready. Strict action against officials can speed up things,” added Ghanekar.
Jagruk Nagrik has been urging authorities to close the Adharwadi dump yard after a major fire broke out at the site two years ago.
Ghanshyam Navangul, executive engineer of KDMC, said, “I had targeted to finish the work of Umbarde landfill by September 15 but due to the recent flooding, work was affected. Water had flooded the site twice and the work was stalled.”
“I am targeting to complete it by October-end. The closure of Adharwadi will only happen when the dumping activities stop. Presently, waste is still dumped there as there is no alternative place,” he said.
In the meeting, KDMC was instructed to work alongside citizens’ groups rather than floating tenders.
Last year, Adharwadi dump yard caught fire six times between March and May.
In March 2018, a major fire was reported from the 15-acre landfill. Smoke billowed for weeks, causing breathlessness and other ailments. Though the civic body assured residents preventive measures to avert fire incidents at the dumping ground after the incident, another major fire broke out in the landfill in April.
A week after the CM’s directions, the civic body chief had warned a deputy commissioner, two public health officers, 10 health inspectors and 10 ward officers to improve solid waste management or their salaries would be withheld. But, no action was taken.
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