Disappointed by the way the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been handling the Yashwantrao Chavan city cleanliness drive, NCP Member of Parliament (MP) Supriya Sule has reportedly shot off a letter to municipal commissioner Mahesh Pathak last month, asking him to ensure its effective implementation.

In the letter, Sule also warned that if PMC failed to carry out the drive properly, NCP would initiate an agitation. The letter was handed over to the commissioner’s office on November 5. Sule has reportedly expressed her disappointment about PMC’s lethargic approach in the missive.

NCP city unit chief and MP Vandana Chavan told Mirror, “I am aware of the letter sent to the civic administration. We have conducted several meetings with PMC officials about the drive but it has failed to gather momentum.“

She added, “If Sule launches an agitation against PMC’s approach on the issue, I will participate in the protest as well. When I was the mayor, a similar initiative had a successful run, so it is clearly not an impossible task.” The drive was initiated on May 1 this year, to mark the state’s first Chief Minister Yashwantrao Chavan’s centenary year.

The drive was supposed to be converted into a public movement, and several meetings were conducted with stakeholders including PMC, NGOs and people’s representatives. However, the drive failed to achieve widespread attention and remained mostly on paper.

Environmental activist Ameya Jagtap, who works on garbage management issues in the city, told Mirror, “All those who are actively trying to solve the city’s garbage issues are sorely disappointed with PMC’s casual approach to this drive.

The initiative has much potential and has not received public attention, for which the administration could be held responsible.”