Clean rivers before beautification, says Pankaja Munde

The minister announced that the state is close to setting up an independent “River Rejuvenation Authority” to focus on restoring rivers

Maharashtra environment minister Pankaja Munde said making rivers pollution-free should be the top priority, even before beautification projects. Munde was speaking at a review meeting held at the headquarters of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) in Akurdi on Friday.

Munde (in pic) said untreated sewage from local bodies, private establishments and industries is a major cause of pollution (HT)

Munde said untreated sewage from local bodies, private establishments and industries is a major cause of pollution. “Many industries have sewage treatment plants (STPs), but they are often not maintained properly and remain non-functional. Strict action will now be taken against such violators, instead of just issuing notices,” she said.

She announced that the state is close to setting up an independent “River Rejuvenation Authority” to focus on restoring rivers.

Before the meeting, she inspected the Indrayani and Pavana rivers, along with pumping stations in Talawade and Ravet, to understand the level of pollution.

Officials from PMRDA and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) presented ongoing efforts to clean the Indrayani, Pavana and Mula-Mutha rivers.

Munde also directed civic bodies to remove encroachments along riverbanks immediately. She said, “STPs should be made mandatory for all housing societies, and every drain must be connected to treatment systems so that only treated water enters rivers.”

Munde also pointed out that construction sites often fail to cover buildings properly, leading to increased dust in the air. She instructed authorities to take strict action against such sites to control air pollution.