Target: Siddhesh Ramdas Kadam, Chairman, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Government of Maharashtra, India
Goal: Crack down on illegal dumping in grasslands, swiftly remove hazardous plastic and biomedical waste, and impose meaningful penalties on offenders endangering wolves, blackbucks, hyenas, wild dogs, and birds.
Predators and prey in Western India’s grasslands are encountering plastic bags, bottles, and biomedical trash scattered across their habitats. Conservation monitors have found traces of plastic in wolf scat—strongly suggesting that contaminated prey is being consumed. Animals weakened by ingestion and entanglement face an escalating risk of disease and death, while shrinking grasslands and rapid urbanisation funnel more waste into the very corridors wildlife needs to survive.
Accounts from the field describe unsegregated dumping from nearby settlements and establishments that has intensified over the last several years, with predators and scavengers suffering poisoning and infections after coming into contact with medical refuse. Packs of wolves and other carnivores are attracted to waste piles, where they may ingest sharp plastic fragments, strings, and contaminated scraps—an ongoing cycle of harm to adults and pups alike. Birds that feed or nest on the ground pick up bits of plastic and fibers, which can block digestive tracts and tangle wings and feet.
This pattern stems from preventable violations of solid-waste and biomedical-waste rules. Immediate action is needed: emergency cleanups; targeted surveillance of hotspots; joint enforcement patrols; strict fines and prosecutions for illegal dumping; and compulsory waste-segregation and secure collection points near grasslands. Swift penalties for offenders and transparent timelines for remediation can curb the crisis and protect keystone species essential to the health of local ecosystems and communities. Sign below to demand authorities investigate, clean up, and hold all responsible parties accountable.
PETITION LETTER:
To Mr. Kadam,
Reports from Pune’s grassland ecosystems describe a mounting crisis: wolves, hyenas, wild dogs, blackbucks, and numerous bird species are ingesting plastic and encountering biomedical waste within critical habitats. Field findings indicating plastic fragments in wolf scat, alongside accounts of animals poisoned or infected after contact with medical refuse, point to persistent dumping and inadequate containment that demand urgent enforcement.
We respectfully urge you to launch immediate investigations and coordinated enforcement actions across known hotspots. Please identify and penalize those responsible for illegal dumping under applicable solid-waste and biomedical-waste rules; mandate secure, segregated disposal and frequent collections near grasslands; and publish a rapid-response cleanup schedule with clear, public milestones. Interim measures—such as focused patrols, camera traps at dumping points, and surprise inspections of nearby establishments—can deter repeat violations while long-term fixes take hold.
Finally, we ask that your office disclose outcomes of inspections and prosecutions, including fines and corrective orders, to ensure accountability. Prompt, visible action against violators will save animals from needless suffering and protect public health and the integrity of Western India’s grassland ecosystems.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Antony Grossy
