Thane: The municipal administration, on Friday, announced that it will continue to collect solid waste from residential societies till mid-July as against its earlier plan to stop lifting trash from big colonies.The decision comes a day after the administration had aggressively claimed that it will not collect garbage from societies spread over 5,000sqm area citing a 2016 Ministry of Environment and forest circular. TOI had highlighted the ire of residents who had opposed the move and requested an extension. The stepdown from the earlier plan, was formally announced by civic chief Sanjeev Jaiswal, Friday evening, following persuasion by activists who feared a health hazard and intervention by guardian minister Eknath Shinde. Jaiswal said that while the civic staff will continue to collect wet and dry garbage from residential societies till the next one month, a local ward level committee will also be formed to tackle the disposal issue.“We have decided to postpone enforcing our plans for one month. A local level waste management committee will be formed that will conduct a trash audit and also work on promoting the initiative among local residents. However, after the extension period, we will strictly implement the same and also penalize offenders,” said Jaiswal.It may be noted that several residents had expressed their displeasure over the plan. Residents and activists said they are opposed to this plan that has been thrust on residents without even consulting them and many had even decided to stage protests against this decision.“The TMC can set up composting waste bins within the society and residents be allowed to dump their wet waste once a day after which the same could be covered with soil for allowing decomposition. The same can be replicated,” suggested Dr Uma Uppal, a Thane resident.

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