Citizen dumps 30 debris trucks along riverbed, directed to pay ₹7.5 lakh within 24 hours

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday served notice to a citizen found dumping 30 trucks of debris along the Mula-Mutha riverbed and directed him to pay a fine of ₹7.5 lakh within 24 hours.

One Gajanan Vitthal Pawar was caught dumping 30 trucks of debris on land along the riverbed owned by him. However, the debris finally found its way into the river, polluting it.

Taking serious note of this, additional municipal commissioner Prithviraj B P instructed the Warje Karve Nagar regional ward office to take immediate action which it did by serving notice to Pawar on Tuesday itself.

“The Warje Karve Nagar regional ward office imposed a fine of ₹25,000 for each truck and asked the owner to deposit ₹7.5 lakh within a day else be ready to face further legal action,” the additional municipal commissioner informed.

A PMC official on condition of anonymity said, “The debris was dumped at survey number A/1 in front of Amrut Kalash Society on D P Road, Karve Nagar. The land is owned by Pawar but the debris entered the river.”

PMC ward officer Vijay Naykal said, “The debris will obstruct the flow of the river and is hazardous for the health of citizens. Considering this, the PMC served notice. The PMC is also mulling filing a police case under the Solid Waste Management Act.”

In July this year, localities such as Ekta Nagari on Sinhagad Road faced severe flooding after water was released from the Khadakwasla Dam. Amid the finger-pointing which took place in the wake of the flooding, it emerged that citizens had been dumping debris in the Mula-Mutha riverbed which was among the main reasons behind the flooding.