PMC data from Jan to Aug in 2026 shows that action fell to 1,006 cases from the 2,434 cases during the corresponding period last year
PMC data from Jan to Aug in 2026 shows that action fell to 1,006 cases from the 2,434 cases during the corresponding period last year — less than half the number of offenders caught. However, as per civic officials, the fall in penalties has come due to increased compliance. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
Santosh Warule, head of Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) solid waste management department, said, “We are creating awareness about garbage segregation at source. Pradeep Kulkarni, an office-bearer of a housing society in Kothrud, said they spread messages about waste segregation among their residents. Advice is issued both online and offline,” he said.
Pune: Enforcement by the civic administration against residents failing to mandatorily segregate their waste has dropped significantly. Strict action is being taken against defaulters. It will continue in the days to come. On the flip side, several residents are diligently complying with regulations. “We urge our members to avoid giving dry and wet garbage in one bag or container. A separate legally permissible bag should be provided while disposing of garbage. Download the TOI App.
Under PMC’s enforcement framework, failing to segregate waste attracts penalty charges scaling from Rs60 to Rs180 for individual households, while bulk waste generators (BWGs) face penalties ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs15,000 for non-compliance. The primary statutory benchmark governing solid waste management within PMC limits is Rule 4 of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016, which have been framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. At the municipal level, these rules are operationalised through the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (MMC) Act, 1949, alongside local sanitation by-laws that empower the municipal commissioner and health officials to inspect premises, issue show-cause notices and levy administrative fines.
Experts have long said at-source segregation is necessary, with its absence adversely impacting the entire garbage processing system. Civic officials said waste pickers on the ground have also been asked to create awareness about trash segregation at the household level, which has proved effective. One such waste picker, Eknath Sonawane, told TOI , “We spread awareness about problems caused by mixed trash disposal.
The civic body has long been pushed to embrace stricter enforcement of this norm. It legally requires waste generators to segregate trash into wet, dry and domestic hazardous streams at the source. A senior PMC official, choosing anonymity, reiterated, “Awareness about waste segregation is being created via various social media and traditional media platforms. The civic administration had taken steps such as not lifting trash if it is not segregated. This has led to a decrease in the number of defaulters. We also share issues that waste collectors face while picking up and segregating this garbage. It has led to sensitisation among residents. However, some people are still not following norms.”