PUNE: Mayor Ravi Landge of Pimpri Chinchwad has instructed the civic environment department to identify housing societies discharging untreated sewage into nullahs within seven days and to take strict action against them. This directive came after reports indicated that effluents from residential complexes and a private educational institute were polluting the Pavana river.
Mayor Landge visited Kiwale on Tuesday, where he emphasized that all sewage treatment plants (STPs) within housing societies must be fully operational. He issued a warning of legal action against housing societies and institutions failing to comply with pollution control regulations, stating, “Even officials negligent in enforcement will face disciplinary measures.”
According to current regulations, STPs are mandatory for housing societies with 100 or more flats or a built-up area of at least 20,000 square meters. Civic officials reported that there are at least 494 societies in the municipal limits, with 99 found to have non-functioning STPs.
Yogesh Alhat, executive engineer in the PCMC’s environment department, stated that each of the 99 societies has received three notices. “Their names have been shared with the water supply department to disconnect their water supply as a punitive measure,” he said.
Recently, former corporator Tukaram Bhondave protested against the deteriorating state of the Pavana river in Kiwale. “The use of treated water should be obligatory for gardening, flushing, and other non-potable uses. Housing societies must also submit weekly progress reports, and continuous monitoring using technical tools should be conducted,” added Landge.
This initiative will extend beyond Kiwale and the Pavana river, addressing issues across the entire Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) area. “A joint effort will target sewage discharges from drains into all three rivers flowing through the city: Indrayani, Mula, and Pavana,” he declared.
Typically, housing societies dispose of sewage either into the municipal drainage network or directly into nullahs. While drainage discharges are treated at civic STPs, effluents released into nullahs often flow into channels lacking treatment plants, increasing the risk of untreated sewage entering the rivers.
During an inspection drive launched on April 17, five out of 17 inspected societies were fined Rs 10,000 each for discharging untreated effluent directly into nullahs.
Representatives of housing societies argue they are being unfairly scrutinized. Sanjeevan Sangle, president of the Chikhali-Moshi Pimpri Chinchwad Housing Societies Federation, noted that many breaches arise from developers’ negligence. “We’ve consistently highlighted that developers often fail to set up STPs or deliver poorly designed units that become inoperable soon after. Completion certificates are granted without adequate onsite inspections,” Sangle explained.
