Thane residents face severe garbage accumulation crisis

Residents in Thane are facing a major garbage crisis. Waste is piling up on roads and in neighborhoods, creating health risks and attracting pests. Despite complaints, garbage collection has been irregular for months. Areas like Wagle Estate, Ghodbunder Road, and local markets are heavily affected. The stench and unsanitary conditions are concerning. Business owners report that foot traffic is decreasing due to the mess. A grocer in Wagle Estate, Ramesh Lalwani, noted an increase in rodents due to the rubbish. The situation worsened after a fire at the C P Talao dumping site on March 12. This fire disrupted waste management operations, leading to a backlog in garbage collection. Thane produces over 1,000 tonnes of waste daily. The city relies on the C P Talao transfer station and the Atkoli landfill, but current facilities are overwhelmed. In response, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is conducting an emergency cleanup. Additional vehicles are now working in three shifts to manage the waste. So far, about 7,000 metric tons of garbage has been transported to the Atkoli landfill. Precautionary measures are being taken to control odors. TMC's public relations officer stated that municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao is supervising the cleanup effort closely. They are also instructing workers to resume regular door-to-door garbage collection. Residents like Dr. Veena Kawalkar are pressing for better waste management policies. Kawalkar pointed out that large housing societies often dump their garbage on the streets when collection fails, creating safety issues for pedestrians. She suggests that stricter rules should require waste disposal systems in residential complexes to prevent such problems.