Clean Rivers in Two Years: PCMC’s Strategic Plan to Install Sewage Treatment Plants

Pimpri, 5th January 2024: In a significant move to address pollution concerns in riverside villages, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), along with the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Pune District Administration, and local villagers, is gearing up to set up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The ambitious plan aims to curb pollution in the Pavana, Indrayani, and Mula rivers within the next two years.

Initiated as part of the larger Pavana, Indrayani, and Mula River Rejuvenation Project, authorities are now focusing on tackling pollution at its source. The Pimpri-Chinchwad industrial city, nestled in the valley of these three rivers, is witnessing a collaborative effort to revive and restore these vital water bodies.

Mula River, with its origins in Mulshi taluka, sees cooperation with Pune Municipal Corporation for its revival. On the other hand, the Pavana and Indrayani rivers, originating in Maval taluka, are undergoing revitalization within the Pimpri Chinchwad city limits under the PCMC’s guidance.

The rivers face contamination from various sources, including chemical discharge from industrial estates, factories along the riverside, and untreated water from villages. The untreated discharge of silty water poses a severe threat to the rivers’ health. Villages with Gram Panchayats, Nagar Panchayats, and Municipal Councils, along with Dehu Road Cantonment Board, and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) are identified as significant contributors to the pollution.

Taking cognizance of the issue, the state government has advised comprehensive measures against river pollution. The proposed Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are expected to play a crucial role in treating water from various villages before releasing it into the rivers.

The STPs will be strategically set up in areas with varying population densities. Municipalities like Lonavala, Talegaon Dabhade, Alandi, Dehu, and Vadgaon Maval with populations exceeding 15 thousand will have dedicated STPs. Simultaneously, smaller villages like Karla, Varsoli, Kanhewadi Tarf Chakan, Yelwadi, and others with populations below 15 thousand will also see the establishment of sewage treatment facilities.

Shiv Sena’s Maval MPShrirang Barane, expressed confidence in the project, stating, “By setting up sewage treatment plants, the water from the villages will be treated and released into the river. With the cooperation of the Maharashtra State Government, these works will be completed in a short time to make Pavana, Indrayani river clean and pollution-free.”

Vijay Kumar Khorate, Additional Commissioner of PCMC, said, “If we stop polluting the rivers from the source to the city, the River Rejuvenation Project in the city will succeed, providing clean water to villages along the river.”

The current prevalent issue revolves around the pollution of rivers, with visible foam on the Indrayani and significant pollution in the Pavana River, accompanied by an unpleasant odour in the river area. Addressing this problem is crucial for the residents, as these rivers are the primary source of drinking water for the people of Pimpri Chinchwad city.