In a stark warning that has resonated across the city, Baba Kalyani, the Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge, has highlighted the severe deterioration of Pune's environment. Speaking at a major policy forum, he pointed to rising pollution and a pervasive lack of basic cleanliness, urging for immediate collective action to prevent a public health crisis.
A City Drowning in Dirt and Dust
Addressing the audience at the Public Policy Festival 2026 held at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) on Saturday, Kalyani did not mince words. He stated that Pune suffers from an absolute deficit in the culture of cleanliness, despite national campaigns. "There is dirt and filth everywhere in the city. Not a single footpath is walkable, and encroachments are rampant", he lamented.
He directly questioned the effectiveness of the central government's flagship Swachh Bharat Mission in the city context. "Despite the Swachh Bharat Mission, I don't think it is working effectively in Pune", Kalyani asserted. He described the city's ecosystem as fundamentally littered with filth, dust, and grime, creating an unhealthy living environment for all residents.
The Construction Dust Menace and a Call for a Green Mission
Kalyani provided a concrete example from his own neighborhood, Keshavnagar, where numerous construction projects are generating uncontrolled dust pollution. This, he noted, is a city-wide issue. "Construction is happening across Pune, and dust from these sites is spreading everywhere", he said.
Proposing a simple, actionable solution, he pointed to international best practices. "Why can't there be a simple rule requiring trucks to be washed before entering and after leaving construction sites? This is followed in Japan, ensuring roads remain dust-free". Beyond reactive measures, Kalyani issued an urgent call to action. He urged the state government, local civic administration, and citizens to unite in a mission to transform Pune into a green city within the next two years, with a strong push for the adoption of electric vehicles.
Corporate Help Awaits, But Administration Must Act
The industry leader warned that if corrective steps are not taken swiftly, Pune could soon grapple with air pollution levels comparable to Delhi. He emphasized that the time for discussion is over and the need for execution is critical.
Kalyani also revealed that there is significant corporate interest in providing cleanliness solutions to the city. However, he stressed that the Pune Municipal Corporation must be proactive in accepting and implementing these solutions. "There is corporate interest in providing cleanliness solutions to the city, yet the civic administration should be proactive in accepting the solutions", he stated.
His comments come at a time when Pune is ranked eighth nationally in the Swachh Survekshan 2024 rankings by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs—a position that, according to Kalyani's assessment, does not reflect the ground reality of pervasive uncleanliness. His speech underscores a growing chasm between policy objectives and tangible outcomes in urban livability.
