Pune: Allegations of Untreated Sewage Discharge Into Pashan Lake Raise Environmental Concerns
Pashan, 8th April 2026: Allegations of non-compliance with directives issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) have surfaced in connection with the ongoing Pashan Lake pollution issue. Krunnal Gharre, Vice President of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Pune and the applicant in the case, has accused the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) of failing to adequately plan and implement sewage treatment infrastructure.
According to Gharre, the 1 MLD Pashan Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), which was commissioned last year, was insufficient from the beginning. He claimed that despite repeated submissions pointing out that the plant’s capacity would not be adequate for the growing population of Bavdhan, PMC did not take the concerns into account and instead proposed installing flow meters to divert excess sewage.
He further alleged that the plant exceeded its designed capacity during the trial phase itself, raising concerns about long-term planning and infrastructure assessment. Gharre also claimed that the facility has faced continuous operational issues within a year of commissioning and remained non-functional for nearly three months due to maintenance and technical problems.
He alleged that excess sewage is now being diverted away from the treatment plant and discharged directly into Pashan Lake, which could undermine earlier efforts to intercept sewage flowing from Bhugaon and nearby areas.
Gharre said that AAP Pune plans to stage a protest to highlight what he described as disregard for environmental concerns and judicial directives.
An execution application has also been filed against PMC, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the Bhugaon and Bhukum Gram Panchayats, seeking the imposition of environmental penalties for alleged non-compliance with NGT orders. He said the situation represents not only a violation of tribunal directives but also a breach of public trust.
