PMC neglects trash of virus patients at home

No collection for seven days from homes of isolated people; civic body says it is facing staff crunch, despite there being a system in place

COVID patients and their kin have one more battle to fight. Along with nursing their ailment, the families of the patients are now expected to manage the waste generated at homes. Over the past few days, many citizens have said that civic body employees are not picking up the waste, stating they are shortstaffed. Several residents have decried the added risk to others posed by the languishing waste. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), which has been intimated of the problem by locals and activists, claims that many factors have led to the issue.

The problems have aggravated for people like Neha Joshi. She stays in a 2BHK flat on Sinhgad Road with a family of six. Her husband tested positive a week ago, and he has been confined to a room. The trash generated by the patient accumulates inside the house as PMC — despite many requests — has not come to pick it up. It is more concerning for her since she lives with two senior citizens. “PMC gave us four bin bags in which my husband throws his waste. They are languishing in his room for a week. When we called PMC to collect it, they asked us to manage on our own since they are short-staffed. They also suggested that we request our daily waste picker to dispose it of. How can we put them at risk? We have no clue what to do in this condition,” she said.

Such dilemmas have plagued the entire Swaminarayan Society, where three families are in quarantine. They raised a request for waste collection on August 27, following which PMC staffers arrived reluctantly — that too with a condition. Amod Wagh, a resident of the society, said, “We gave the patients large bin bags and hydroxychloroquine and asked them to store the waste on the terrace. After several requests, PMC people picked up the waste once. But they stated that they won't turn up daily since they do not have sufficient staff.”

Calling such instances “problematic”, Vivek Velankar, convener, Sajag Nagarik Manch, said that the condition on the ground is a stark contrast from what PMC has been planning. Velankar claims to have received many complaints. “Keeping this waste at home is also risky for the unaffected family members. There should be an automated system which results in all the arrangements being made once a patient tests positive. But it seems as if the solid waste management department is not aware of the patient,” he said.

Dnyaneshwar Molak, head of the solid waste management department, said that ward offices are not receiving the information of people who are testing at private labs. With regards to the waste collection problems at Sinhgad Road, he said there is a pending court case and three months' worth salaries are due — that is why staffers are not turning up to work. “We are trying to sort out this problem. Now, we will collect the trash once in two days since the number of people who are home-quarantined has increased. Since the waste is dry, there is no problem in storing it for two days,” he said.