Residents of Gagan Ela Society and a nearby basti in Pune’s NIBM Road–Mohammadwadi area have raised concerns over the alleged regular dumping and burning of mixed waste on a private open plot near Royal Heritage Mall and Ishrat Baug, saying smoke from the site is affecting air quality and causing breathing difficulties.
Photographs from the location show large quantities of waste scattered across the plot, with smoke reportedly rising from several spots. Residents allege that the waste is dumped and burnt regularly, and that it may include biomedical waste, electronic waste and other potentially hazardous material. The allegations have not been independently verified in the report.
A complaint was registered with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) grievance redressal system on October 27, 2026, under token number PC51088. The complaint was categorised as “Burning of Garbage” and referred to the alleged daily burning of biomedical waste and other garbage. Its status was listed as “In Process” in the complaint record.
Residents said the smoke was affecting people living in the surrounding housing societies and the nearby basti, with children and elderly residents considered particularly vulnerable. Sadik Pathan, a committee member of Gagan Ela Society, said residents had been facing difficulties because of the smoke and sought support in bringing the matter to the PMC’s attention.
Pathan also suggested a meeting involving society committee members and residents of Runwal Society to discuss possible solutions. Residents said garbage had continued to accumulate inside the private plot even after the landowner blocked the access road. They questioned how waste was still entering the premises and sought clarity on the respective responsibilities of the landowner and civic authorities.
Social activists Aftab Raza, Sadik Pathan, Khalid Parker and Pankaj Awaghate have demanded immediate intervention. Raza said private ownership of the land could not come at the cost of public health and called on the PMC and landowner to ensure that the waste was removed and burning stopped.
Parker said the alleged presence of biomedical and electronic waste made the matter an environmental and public-health concern and called for an inspection to identify those responsible. Awaghate said blocking the access road was not a complete solution while garbage continued to accumulate inside the plot.
Residents have demanded an immediate inspection, removal and scientific disposal of the accumulated waste, action against those responsible for illegal dumping and burning, and regular monitoring of the site. They have also urged the PMC to coordinate with the landowner to prevent the private plot from becoming a recurring dumping and burning location.
