PUNE, 12 NOV. A major controversy has erupted in Pune's waste management sector following the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) decision to introduce a pilot project using large mechanized garbage collection vehicles. This new system directly threatens the long-standing, globally recognized door-to-door collection model operated by the SWaCH cooperative, an organization owned by self-employed waste pickers.
Livelihood Loss and Worker Protest The shift to mechanization, which began around September, has allegedly been implemented by the PMC without a clear plan to integrate the thousands of existing SWaCH workers into the new system. Over 3,500 waste pickers, many of whom are women and who have been integral to Pune's waste processing for years, face an uncertain future and a complete loss of livelihood. Despite prior promises from PMC officials to include them, the workers report that the new PMC vans have instructed housing societies to hand over their garbage directly, effectively cutting off the routes and income of SWaCH members. This perceived exclusion has led to widespread protests across the city, with workers demanding that the PMC honor its commitment and protect their jobs.
Contradictory Claims on Efficiency Simultaneously, the city is grappling with severe delays in garbage collection. A survey conducted by SWaCH indicated that approximately 32% of the city's 1,076 feeder points have experienced significant delays in garbage truck arrivals. This inefficiency is forcing waste pickers to wait for hours at feeder points, and is leaving neighborhoods overwhelmed with uncollected refuse. SWaCH leaders argue that their decentralized model is more efficient, transparent, and has saved the PMC hundreds of crores of rupees through effective recycling and manpower optimization. The PMC, however, has denied the allegations of delay and stated that the claims are a deliberate attempt to create a misunderstanding among the public and oppose the municipal corporation's new policy.
000
