The Pune Municipal Corporation has begun action against sanitation workers who have allegedly remained absent from duty for more than five years, directing officials to submit proposals for their dismissal as it reviews public sanitation and solid waste management across the city’s 15 ward offices.
The directions were issued during a review meeting held under the guidance of the additional municipal commissioner (Estate). The meeting was attended by the deputy commissioner of the solid waste management department, deputy commissioners from all five administrative zones, assistant commissioners from the 15 ward offices and senior health inspectors.
PMC officials were asked to initiate proposals against employees who have been continuously absent for prolonged periods. The civic body also directed officials to intensify punitive action against people violating sanitation-related rules, including regulations governing the use of plastic.
The review also assessed a three-month pilot for performance-based road sweeping being implemented across all 15 ward offices. Under the initiative, a 700-metre stretch is assigned for sweeping, with the number of workers determined according to the area allocated to each team.
Officials found that some of the assigned stretches included internal private roads within large housing societies. The PMC has now instructed ward-level officials to reassess the designated areas and reduce the assigned stretches wherever necessary. Revised details have to be submitted to the civic headquarters within five days.
The issue places the PMC’s staffing and service-area planning under scrutiny at the same time. A road-sweeping target can vary significantly depending on whether it covers public roads, access lanes or internal roads within large residential developments. The civic directions indicate that the corporation is seeking to align worker deployment with areas that fall within the relevant sanitation responsibilities.
The meeting also reviewed sanitation planning in areas under the Pune Cantonment Board. Officials were told to improve arrangements there after repeated complaints about public cleanliness. The report did not specify the locations of the complaints or announce a separate implementation schedule for the cantonment areas.
The PMC’s action combines disciplinary measures with an operational review of how sweeping work is allocated. The proposal to seek dismissal concerns workers reported to have been absent for more than five years, while the road-sweeping pilot is being adjusted to account for the inclusion of private internal roads in some assigned stretches.
Officials from the ward offices and solid waste management department are expected to submit revised road-sweeping details to the headquarters within five days. Further action on prolonged absenteeism and violations of plastic-use rules will follow the directions issued at the review meeting.
