Initially proposed in 2008 by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the Punawale Garbage Depot was meant to alleviate the increasing solid waste management requirements of the burgeoning metropolitan of Pimpri-Chinchwad, often touted as Pune’s twin-city.
Accordingly, the PCMC had reserved a 65-acre plot for a garbage depot in Punawale in the development plan (‘DP’) in 2008. Located in the South-Western part of PCMC, this 65-acre plot was located in the Kate Wasti Forest, an area with substantial tree cover which belongs to the Forest Department of Maharashtra.
Despite the provisioning of the plot being made in the PCMC DP, land acquisition and other legal procedures never significantly took off ever since 2008.
Meanwhile, the PCMC continued to experience an economic boom due to its consistent industrial growth, which resulted in several residential and commercial buildings being constructed around the reserved plot.
The city’s economic prosperity was accompanied by a rise in solid waste generation, which was being entirely serviced by the garbage depot located in Moshi, part of PCMC’s North-Eastern area. The PCMC wants to set up a second depot in the South-West, and accordingly had decided upon the Punawale site. The PCMC accordingly paid Rs 3.53 crore to the forest department to get 22.80 hectare land in the Kate Wasti Forest.
However, this move was largely condemned by civil society, as the forested area was not only too closely situated to several residential and commercial buildings, but was also an important source of clean air and biodiversity for the local Punawale residents.
In objection to the proposed solid waste management project, residents organized various protests in 2023, including a 'Ghanta Naad Andolan' aimed at ‘awaking the administration’, and a bike rally, which was flagged off with a ‘Chipko Andolan’, hugging the trees protest in the Kate Wasti forest. These protests were primarily led by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Cooperative Societies Federation (PCCSF) members, and hundreds of local residents participated therein. Thereafter, the PCCSF even sent a Legal Notice to the PCMC demanding that the project be scrapped.
The growing popularity of the movement led to the involvement of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which undertook a chain hunger strike opposing the proposed garbage depot.
Amidst protest by residents of Punawale and Pimpri Chinchwad Cooperative Societies Federation (PCCSF) members, Cabinet Minister Uday Samant on 18 December 2023, announced the decision to cancel the proposed garbage depot at Punawale, during the State Legislative Assembly's Winter Session.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand to cancel the project
Opposition against environmental degradation
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Urban
Type of Land
Common
Forest and Non-Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project scrapped
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Other environmental services
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
350
Type of investment:
Cost of Project
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
Yes
When did it end?
December 2023
Why did the conflict end?
Cabinet Minister Uday Samant on 18 December 2023, announced the decision to cancel the proposed garbage depot at Punawale, during the State Legislative Assembly's Winter Session due to persistent protests from the locals.
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Violation of environmental laws
Non-consultation with stakeholders
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Disposed
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Bombay High Court
Case Number
PIL No. 218 of 2010
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation; Forest Department of Maharashtra
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Pimpri Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Societies Federation
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Maitreya is an independent environmental law practitioner having secured a B.A.LL.B. (Hons) from Hidayatullah National Law University.
Initiating his legal practice at the chambers of ex-President of the NGT Western Zone Bar Association Adv. Asim Sarode, Maitreya has gone on to work with the 2021 Right Livelihood awardee 'Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment' (LIFE) before commencing independent environmental law practice before various benches of the National Green Tribunal in 2022.
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