The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) failed to come up with a time bound and solid action plan in order to improve management of the Urali Devachi dumpsite, even after having a day’s extension by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

The issue looks doubtful to be settled in the near future, threatening another garbage pile-up in the city.

MPCB, on Saturday, could only give a broader outline of the plan with gross timelines as forwarded by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), a central government enterprise and an implementing agency for the PMC.

P K Mirashe, regional officer of the board told, “The NBCC action plan highlights the work modalities. We found them satisfactory. The board has now asked the PMC to chalk out a weekly timebound and concrete plan. The ball has now started rolling.”

“Considering the urgency of the matter, we asked the NBCC to chalk out an action plan as they are the implementing agency on behalf of PMC for solid waste management at Urali. They faxed us a copy on late Friday evening. We showed the copy to the board and they are satisfied. We will submit the desired action plan to the board on Monday,” said R R Pardeshi, deputy health official of the PMC.

On April 23, the state pollution control board rejected the action plan submitted by the municipal corporation in reaction to a notice that the board had served it a few weeks ago.

MPCB said that the PMC reply did not spell out what steps it would start to comply with the encapsulation of dry garbage, collection of the leachate, which runs out of it and setting up a boundary wall, so that it doesn’t contaminate the villages around it.

Yogesh Sharma, additional general manager of the NBCC said, "The PMC wants us to start landfill capping in some areas before monsoon. We have agreed to take up the work on priority. The PMC is willing to provide a lump sum adhoc amount to NBCC and the same has been proposed in the agreement clause with the civic body."