PANVEL: Women in New Panvel have led a blockade of the garbage collection centre in the node on Sunday demanding that it be shut down forthright. The residents are complaining of a strong stench leading to health issues, from the ground which they say has become a dumping ground for Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC).
The ground has long been used for parking and repair and maintenance of ghanta gadi vehicles. Since CIDCO transferred the ground to PMC, waste from the node and surrounding areas is collected and brought to the service centre in sector 1S in the smaller ghanta gadis with the centre now turning into garbage collection centre. The garbage is then taken in the bigger vehicles to the CIDCO dumping ground at Ghotchal.
The residents have been complaining for months of the odour from the New Panvel ground and demanded that garbage not be brought to the residential area. On Sunday, the women took to the streets and blocked the gate to prevent the vehicles from bringing in garbage to the ground.
Said Sucheta Kamerkar, a resident, “The entire area is suffering. We are facing health issues because of it. We have to keep our doors and windows shut all the time. Breathing has become a major problem for us.”
She added, “There are hospitals, places of worship, wedding halls and restaurants here. Everyone is affected. The dumping ground should be shifted immediately.”
Said Chitra Deshmukh, “We have been complaining for the past 8 months. Have met the officials several times but there has been no action.”
She added, “So many of us are sick especially our kids and senior citizens. I have been living here for the past 20 years but never had a problem. For the past 8 months though we are facing respiratory and other issues.”
Said Apurva Prabha, a resident, “CIDCO and PMC do not care for the people and are carrying on with this. We are not ready to compromise anymore.”
The protest that began at around 10 am went on till 4 pm even as around 20-25 garbage vans waited outside the ground. The police personnel that rushed to the spot intervened and convinced the protests to withdraw their agitation. No civic official however turned up. The police officer present there called up the concerned contractor and directed him not to dump garbage at the ground as there is opposition of the local residents and there could be law and order situations.
While PMC officials refused to comment, a PMC official on condition of anonymity, “It is not feasible to send so many small vehicles that are used to pick up garbage to the CIDCO dumping ground at Ghot Chal in Taloja. Hence, the garbage is first collected at sector 1S ground.”
He added, “The bigger vehicles transport the garbage to Ghot Chal dumping ground between 8 am to 6 pm the designated time. This leaves the garbage at the New Panvel ground at other times which leads to the stench.
Stated the official, “We are trying to get a plot from CIDCO for the temporary dumping. Once we get it the issue will be resolved.”