Pune NGO Calls for Eco-Friendly Cremations and Warmer Conditions for Security Guards

In a recent move to tackle air pollution in Pune, the city-based NGO Parisar has urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take several measures. Firstly, Parisar has called for the PMC to issue a circular to all housing societies, asking them to provide electric heaters, warm clothes, and cabins for their security guards. This is to ensure the guards do not have to resort to burning bonfires to keep warm during the winter months.

Secondly, Parisar has pushed for a time-bound plan to ensure that each ward in Pune has at least one gas or electric cremation facility. The group has also emphasized the need to promote the use of environment-friendly cremation options and address the issue of waste burning, which contributes to air pollution.

Additionally, Parisar has highlighted the lack of data on the effectiveness of the pollution reduction measures implemented by the PMC, such as mist fountains, fog cannons, and mechanized sweeping machines. The group has urged the civic body to conduct a proper scientific assessment to understand the impact of these solutions.

Parisar has also emphasized the importance of including ward-wise tree cutting information in the Environmental Sustainability Report and digitizing tree cutting data to facilitate better analysis and prompt action.