PUNE:  Amid coronavirus scare in the city, villagers of Uruli Devachi-Phursungi have suspended their 21-day long agitation for a short period on Monday, allowing the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to dump garbage in a scientific manner at the garbage depot.

Uruli Phursungi Kachra Depot Hatao Samiti Head Bhagwan Bhadale said, “During the earlier meeting which was held between the villagers and civic officials, it was decided that we will allow the PMC to dump garbage at the village depot in a scientific manner owing to the COVID-19 scare.”

The samiti members addressed the media at PMC on Monday.

They also made several other demands to the mayor on the occasion.Samiti Vice-President Vijay Bhadale said, “The PMC should close down the landfill mine as soon as possible and should adhere to NGT rule.”

Commenting on the issue, Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said, “We have received a letter that the strike has been called back by the residents of Uruli Devachi and Phursungi. We have promised them that we will cooperate and fulfil all their demands. For that, we will set up a joint committee of PMC officials, including PMC commissioner and villagers, to decide the road map about waste segregation.”