Maharashtra: PCMC suspends two senior officials over Moshi garbage depot tragedy that killed nine workers

Sanjay Kulkarni (left) and Yogesh Alhat (right) have been suspended following the Moshi waste plant tragedy (Pic/Special arrangement)

In a major administrative action following the Moshi garbage depot tragedy, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has suspended two senior officials of its environment and engineering department with immediate effect and initiated departmental inquiries against them for alleged gross negligence and dereliction of duty on Wednesday.

Municipal Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi issued separate suspension orders against Chief Engineer Sanjay Narayan Kulkarni and Executive Engineer (Environment) Yogesh Sopan Alhat after rejecting their replies to the show-cause notices served following the July 8 incident in which nine contract workers lost their lives.

According to the orders, both officers were entrusted with supervising the day-to-day functioning of the Moshi garbage depot, monitoring the condition and stability of garbage mounds and ensuring strict implementation of safety measures in the surrounding area. The commissioner observed that despite these responsibilities, a large portion of the garbage mound collapsed onto the RCC building at the site, leading to the fatal accident.

Officers allegedly failed to enforce environmental and public safety norms

The orders state that the explanations submitted by both officers were found to be "highly unsatisfactory", lacking factual basis and not supported by municipal rules. The commissioner has held that their conduct reflected serious negligence in duty, lack of supervision and administrative failure.

The suspension orders further state that the officers allegedly failed to enforce environmental and public safety norms, displayed gross carelessness in discharging official responsibilities and committed acts that tarnished the image of the municipal corporation and the government.

Invoking the provisions of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, the commissioner has ordered their immediate suspension and directed that departmental inquiries be initiated against both officers.

During the suspension period, both officials will receive subsistence allowance as per service rules. They have been directed not to undertake any employment or business, submit a monthly declaration to that effect, remain stationed at the Pimpri headquarters without leaving it without prior permission, and strictly adhere to the conditions laid down in the suspension order.

The commissioner has also instructed the concerned department to conduct the departmental inquiry and submit its report within 15 days, failing which disciplinary action may be initiated against the officers responsible for the delay.

The suspension orders state that further action will be decided based on the findings of the departmental inquiry.