Pune: The civic body has stepped up its drive against ready mix concrete plants across the city following several complaints from citizens.Over the last three months, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken action against 30 plants, including a facility spread over 27,000 sqft in Undri last week.Residents have complained that RMCs cause major pollution, and pointed out that the unregulated transport of RMC vehicles also pose a threat of accidents.A civic official said more such action was on the cards. The civic body’s standing committee is also contemplating a policy for better management of the plants, which would also include shifting ready mix concrete (RMC) plants out of city limits.“Many illegal plants have been sealed for not complying with norms. We have also conducted demolition drives,” said Pravin Shende, a senior official of PMC’s building permission department.A report from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is awaited on the functioning of some plants. The administration will plan its future course of action based on the report, a civic official added.RMC plants in Vadgaon Khurd area blatantly violated regulations, some residents said, and added that that several of these plants – located along Sinhagad Road, spanning from Vadgaon Khurd Dattakrushnai Mangal Karyalaya to Prayeja City, Madhukosh Society and Dhayari Lane 17A Fortune Society – were unauthorised.“The unauthorised cement plants in this region are causing hazardous levels of pollution. Cement dust gets accumulated in the homes of nearby residents, leading to respiratory issues among children and the elderly,” said Pawan Mokashi, a resident of Dhayari.Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni also visited Dhayari last week and sought the shifting or demolition of the plants in these areas.Sinhagad Road resident Santosh Kulkarni said, “The dumpers and mixers transporting ready-mix concrete frequently spill material onto the roads. This not only increases the concentration of cement dust in the air but also makes the road surface slippery, causing accidents for two-wheeler riders.”“Issues such as eye irritation and respiratory ailments have become frequent due to the dust. Despite repeated complaints to various authorities, no permanent solution was found,” said Ganesh Pimpale, another resident of Sinhagad Road.Other complaints include reckless driving of the RMC trucks, frequent use of mobile phones while driving, and playing loud music.
