Pune, July 12 (IANS) Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule has said that the loss of life in the building collapse incident at the Moshi garbage depot in Pune is “heart-wrenching” and exposes “gross failure” of the state government and the administration.

The incident occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday when a massive mound of garbage gave way and crashed onto the administrative building located inside the Moshi garbage depot operated by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. At the time of the collapse, a total of 23 people were trapped.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Moshi garbage dump collapse in Pune’s Pimpri-Chinchwad has increased to eight after rescue teams recovered the bodies of seven more victims from the damaged administrative building of the Waste-to-Energy project on Saturday, officials said on Sunday.

“This incident is extremely tragic and unfortunate. The loss of lives in this event, which exposes a gross failure at the governmental and administrative levels, is heart-wrenching,” she said in a post on X.

She stated that this incident is a clear example of governmental and administrative negligence and demanded strict action against those responsible.

“This incident has brought to the forefront several issues, including the lax solid waste management in cities, and it is essential that these be discussed in detail and resolved accordingly,” Sule said.

She also visited Sainath Hospital on Saturday night to meet the workers injured in the accident and inquire about their condition.

During the visit, the injured workers recounted the harrowing details of the incident. The NCP (SP) MP also consulted with the hospital’s doctors and officials, issuing instructions to ensure the injured received prompt and high-quality medical treatment.

Sule demanded an impartial and thorough investigation into the entire matter and called for strict action against the guilty. She also urged that appropriate compensation be provided to the families of the deceased and to the injured workers.

“I request the government to conduct a thorough investigation into this accident. Those found guilty in this investigation should face appropriate action at the earliest. My heartfelt condolences to the workers who lost their lives in this incident. We all share in the immense grief that has befallen their families,” she added.

Supriya Sule emphasised that formulating clear and effective policies for solid waste management and recycling in major cities is the need of the hour. She stated that strict systems — incorporating scientific methods and defined timelines — must be implemented for waste management in every city to prevent such tragic incidents from recurring in the future.

She paid heartfelt tributes to all the workers who lost their lives in the accident and expressed her condolences to the bereaved families.

Meanwhile, one individual, believed to be buried beneath the garbage mound adjacent to the collapsed building, remains missing. Rescue personnel continue to carry out the search operation on a war footing. Officials said NDRF dog squads, along with specialised search equipment, are being used to locate the missing person.

–IANS

sd/