Meat waste dumped in Pavana River; PCMC files FIR

The FIR was registered on the complaint of Pankaj Sudhakar Dhenge, deputy engineer in PCMC’s environmental engineering department

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has filed a police complaint against unidentified persons after multiple plastic bags filled with animal meat waste were found dumped in the Pavana river near Ram Mandir Dashakriya Ghat in Punawale, raising serious environmental and public health concerns, officials said on Thursday.

The issue first came to light during an inspection on March 6, when officials found 10 to 12 plastic bags that had drifted near the Dashakriya Ghat. (HT)

The FIR was registered on the complaint of Pankaj Sudhakar Dhenge, deputy engineer in PCMC’s environmental engineering department, after civic officials detected repeated dumping of meat waste in the river over the past few weeks.

According to the Ravet police, the FIR was registered on May 11 under provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and Sections 270 and 277 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, said Nitin Phatangare, senior police inspector at Ravet Police Station.

In his complaint, Dhenge stated that the civic body’s environment department monitors pollution-related violations, including air and noise pollution, encroachments on natural drains, and illegal dumping in water bodies, through its nuisance detection squad.

The issue first came to light during an inspection on March 6, when officials found 10 to 12 plastic bags that had drifted near the Dashakriya Ghat. A report was subsequently submitted to the department. Officials also found dead animals dumped in the river.

During another inspection on April 23, civic officials, along with junior engineer Mahesh Dhaware and staff member Gorakshanath Karpe, found a larger quantity of waste. Around 20 to 30 plastic bags containing animal meat were seen floating in the river, prompting officials to conduct a spot panchnama and approach the police.

Sanjay Kulkarni, city engineer and head of PCMC’s environment department, said illegal dumping of waste into rivers was a serious environmental and public health violation. “Such acts not only contaminate water bodies and damage the ecosystem, but also pose a direct health risk to nearby residents. The department had issued repeated notices and warnings, but after continued violations, legal action became necessary,” he said.