Pune: JICA-Backed River Rejuvenation Project Gains Momentum As PMC Receives Green Signal For STP At College Of Agriculture’s Botanical Garden

Pune, 3rd December 2024: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made significant progress in its efforts to purify the Mula-Mutha River under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-backed river rejuvenation project. The PMC has requested a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Mahatma Phule Agricultural University to begin work on a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at the Botanical Garden of the College of Agriculture. Simultaneously, the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board in Nagpur has granted an NOC to exclude this site from its earlier designation as a Biodiversity Heritage Area.

The Mula-Mutha River Purification Project, supported by JICA, involves the construction of 11 STPs across Pune city. The groundbreaking ceremony for the initiative took place in March 2022, with completion slated for 2025. Ten of the 11 planned plants are already under construction, leaving the Botanical Garden site as the final hurdle in the project.

Initially, the site for the STP was reserved as a Biodiversity Heritage Area, which stalled construction for over two years. Continuous follow-ups by the PMC with state authorities have finally yielded results, as the Maharashtra Biodiversity Board issued an NOC to lift the reservation. This clearance paves the way for work to begin at the final location, pending approval from the College of Agriculture.

The ₹1,173-crore project aims to build a network of water channels and 11 treatment plants, designed to handle 350 million liters per day (MLD) of sewage. Once completed, the combined efforts of 20 treatment plants—11 new and 9 existing—will enable PMC to treat 90-95% of the city’s sewage before it is discharged into the river.

With a stipulated timeline of 36 months, the initiative is expected to significantly reduce pollution levels in the Mula-Mutha River, aiding its ecological revival. By addressing untreated sewage inflows, the project promises to restore the river to a healthier state, fulfilling a long-standing environmental goal for Pune.