MPCB ​​issues directions to PCMC over alleged pollution violation

The Pune office of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued interim directions to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for alleged violation of environmental regulations at its dumping site.

The council issued the directions on Thursday, January 16, under section 31A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981. The civic body has been directed to submit a time-bound action plan for compliance, as recommended by the committee. of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) within 15 days. Furthermore, the order specified that a bank guarantee of ₹2 lakh will be paid for compliance with norms.

The NGT, while hearing a question of methane emission, constituted a joint committee to probe the issue in a few cities, including Pune. The committee submitted its final report to NGT, in October 2024, indicating the source of methane from PCMC’s solid waste processing site at Moshi. Following this, a letter was issued by the MPCB to the PCMC requesting compliance with the observations noted by the committee in the report. In response, the PCMC submitted a partial response on December 19, 2024.

“PCMC has not started bio-extraction of waste dumped during the Covid-19 pandemic. Excess quantities of waste-derived fuel (RDF) and inert materials are regularly disposed of in sanitary landfills. Additionally, methane collection, utilization and flaring systems have not been installed. PCMC also does not conduct “ambient air quality monitoring” or methane emissions monitoring. Moreover, the civic body does not have the capacity to process 100% of the waste generated,” the instructions read.

On condition of anonymity, a senior MPCB officer said, “The PCMC has been ordered to immediately stop dumping of fresh municipal waste at existing sites. An action plan for the bioexploitation of historic waste landfills must be submitted within a specified deadline. Additionally, orders have been issued for the implementation of appropriate fire prevention measures at landfills, including the installation of methane detection systems.

JS Salunkhe, regional manager of MPCB Pune, said, “We have asked the PCMC to maintain detailed records of waste dumped at sanitary landfill sites (SLFs) and ensure that only segregated inert waste is allowed to be dumped. The civic body should carry out regular monitoring of methane levels to ensure compliance with the lower explosive limit. Monitoring reports must be submitted regularly to confirm compliance with standards.

It has been ordered to take immediate steps to start bio-mining of waste dumped during the COVID-19 period. Besides, a solid waste treatment plant must be established to treat 100 per cent of the waste generated in the jurisdiction, they said.

Sanjay Kulkarni, head of PCMC’s environment department, said the civic body has been carrying out waste biomining for the past one-and-a-half years. The waste generated during Covid-19 has been scientifically disposed of along with the biomedical waste generated by PCMC hospitals.

“We have installed systems for methane monitoring, but as per the instructions, more monitoring systems will be installed at other places,” Kulkarni added.