Maharashtra Government orders high-level probe into Pune building collapse

Five days after the waste-to-energy plant at the Moshi garbage depot of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) collapsed, killing nine employees, the Maharashtra government on Monday announced the setting up of a high-level inquiry committee, headed by Pune Divisional Commissioner Sheetal Teli-Ugale, to “conduct an objective and impartial probe.”

The probe has been ordered by the Urban Development Department. The committee has been asked to submit its preliminary report within one month and its final report within two months after fixing responsibility and suggesting preventive measures.

The committee will be headed by the Pune Divisional Commissioner, who will act as its chairperson. Its members include the Regional Officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Prof D N Singh, an expert in geotechnical and structural engineering from IIT Bombay (Powai), and Prof Anilkumar Dixit, an expert in environment and solid waste management. In the first order, the name of Vikrant Bagade, Additional Commissioner, PCMC, was included. However, the government later removed his name and informed the PCMC administration accordingly.

“A very serious incident occurred on July 8, 2026, at the Waste-to-Energy project site of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) in Moshi, where a massive mound of garbage at the sanitary landfill (SLF) collapsed onto the administrative building due to heavy rainfall, resulting in significant loss of life. To conduct an objective, impartial, in-depth and technical inquiry into this incident, examine the contributing factors, fix responsibility and suggest necessary preventive measures for the future, a High-Level Inquiry Committee is being constituted,” the government order said.

The government order said the committee shall conduct a thorough inquiry from technical, administrative and other relevant perspectives and submit a report.

The committee has been asked to determine the immediate cause of the incident and conduct a root cause analysis of the collapse that occurred on July 8, 2026.

The committee has been directed to conduct an in-depth study of the technical, geotechnical, geographical, managerial and other related reasons behind the SLF collapse.

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The committee will have to verify whether the SLF’s height, slope, stability, storage method, protective measures and safety were in accordance with established technical criteria, standards and guidelines.

The committee has also been tasked with verifying the location, design, structural stability, safety and suitability of the damaged administrative building and whether it complied with relevant engineering standards. Besides, it has to verify compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, CPHEEO guidelines, CPCB/MPCB guidelines, environmental clearance conditions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), safety standards and other applicable legal provisions.

The committee will examine complaints, statements, emails, WhatsApp messages, photographs and other records received by officials, employees or contractors regarding any potential danger before the incident.

The committee has been told to review in detail the preventive or corrective actions taken (or not taken) by the concerned officials, employees or agencies regarding such complaints or danger warnings, and fix responsibility. It will also examine the responsibilities, performance of duties and negligence of the concerned officials, employees, contractors, Project Management Consultants (PMCs), advisory agencies or technical entities to fix accountability.

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Significantly, the committee has been asked to recommend disciplinary or criminal action against those found responsible for administrative negligence, technical lapses, breach of contract, violation of environmental rules or failure to follow safety regulations. It has also been asked to assess the loss of life, injuries, property damage and other impacts caused by the incident.

The committee has also been asked to suggest a short-term and long-term action plan for the Waste-to-Energy project, SLF management, administrative building safety, slope stability, leachate management, risk assessment, early warning systems and disaster prevention measures.

Before submitting its report to the government, the committee will have to record statements, take depositions, and examine necessary documents, records, technical reports, CCTV footage, drone survey findings, photographs, correspondence and other information.

The committee has been vested with several powers, including examining all records, files, contracts, approvals, maps, drawings, budgets, inspection reports, CCTV footage, drone survey findings, digital records and other relevant information from any department, office, project, contractor or consultant of the Municipal Corporation. Besides, it will have the power to conduct site inspections, recommend measurements or sampling, order independent technical inspections, summon concerned officials, employees, contractors, consultants and experts for questioning, record their statements and seek explanations.

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PCMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Anna Bodade said the government order regarding the high-level probe into the Moshi incident was received by the civic body on Monday.