State Environment Secretary Valsa Nair has written to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) over the long-pending issue of shifting of garbage dumping sites from Uruli Devachi and Phursungi. “I can’t understand why the civic authorities are not taking speedy action,” she said on Saturday.

Though alternative sites have been selected, senior PMC officials said they do not want to make it public because of the fear of agitation. “We have identified three sites but not finalised,” he said. Stating that multiple sites would help address the situation, Nair said necessary action would be taken if the authorities do not speed up things. Earlier, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had issued notices to the PMC to speed up the process of acquiring alternative sites. Villagers, meanwhile, are agitated as there has been no progress even after elections. “Our health woes continue and now no officer even comes to our village,” said Shanta Harpal, a villager.

For small towns and cities, MPCB in association with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and civic councils has set up smaller units for solid waste management. The MPCB has used the technical expertise of BARC for the process. Nearly 25 such units have come up in the state and another 17 such units would come up this year. Civic officials said they have planned bio-gas plants too.