Civic chief inspects city's various areas, tells officials to improve garbage lifting, cleanliness

Pune: Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Saturday directed officials to improve garbage collection , road sweeping and clear footpaths of debris after inspected various city areas, including marketplaces and residential zones, to assess citizen services. He also announced plans for regular inspections to keep the city clean and deliver quality services.

Ram, who was accompanied by various PMC department heads, started the inspection around 6am and was joined by district collector Jitendra Dudi. "Officials have been directed to improve the daily lifting of garbage from the market areas and public places, enhance road sweeping activities and make more efforts to clear the footpaths by removing unattended pipes and debris. I plan to hold similar visits regularly to keep the city clean and ensure that citizens receive basic services," the PMC chief said.

An official, who was part of the exercise, said the inspection continued for about five hours. "Both the top officers inspected the roads, waterlogging spots and provisions for garbage collection. They issued on-the-spot instructions to the heads of various PMC departments. The municipal commissioner plans to hold joint meetings with citizens and agencies to gather feedback on waste management and improve city cleanliness ," the official said.

The residents from the Kasba Peth and Shaniwarwada areas said encroachment on the footpaths and roadsides were major concerns. Abhay Joshi, a resident of Kasba Peth, said, "Waste generation is significant in the core city areas because of commercial activities and more visitor footfall. PMC should conduct continuous drives to clear the waste and impose fines on those involved in littering."

Sandeep Kadam, head of PMC's solid waste management department, said, "The municipal commissioner has told us to improve lifting of waste and we are taking steps on it. Some changes are being introduced to clear the garbage from marketplaces and areas where footfall is high. We will take stock of the efforts at regular intervals. Staffers have been told to click photos of daily cleaning. We also plan to engage residents to improve garbage handling."

Ashish Kelkar of Baner Road said, "Many road stretches are not in good condition. The Metro works in the Baner and Balewadi area have led to hardships. The PMC commissioner should ensure road repairs on continuous basis. Garbage burning is another major issue. Besides, PMC has not been able to finish the works of missing links despite repeated assurances."

Aniruddha Pavaskar, head of PMC's road department, said the various road stretches were inspected during the recent drive. "We look to repair the roads soon. Local engineers have been told to ensure that footpaths are repaired and obstacle-free."

Residents also want provision of adequate toilets in core areas for the visitors. Activist Vikram Gaikwad said, "It is good that municipal commissioner has decided to inspect the services in the city. There is a need to fix responsibility and hold the staffers accountable to help improve efficiency."