MPCB issues proposed directions to Lonavala Municipal Council for river pollution

As per the proposed directions issued to the LMC, the sewage treatment plant (STP) was found non-operational and discharging untreated domestic effluent into the Bongaigaon nullah which further meets the Indrayani River

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Pune on Wednesday issued proposed directions to the Lonavala Municipal Council (LMC) for alleged pollution of the Indrayani and Ulhas rivers, officials said on Friday. The sub-regional officer of the MPCB issued proposed directions to the LMC as per the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974.

The sub-regional officer of the MPCB issued proposed directions to the LMC as per the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974. (HT FILE)

According to MPCB officials, during an inspection carried out on November 8, untreated domestic effluent was found to be discharged into the Indrayani and Ulhas rivers through various nullahs, causing pollution. The LMC had failed to comply with the conditions stipulated in the consent granted by the MPCB and the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 thereby polluting the rivers, officials said.

As per the proposed directions issued to the LMC, the sewage treatment plant (STP) was found non-operational and discharging untreated domestic effluent into the Bongaigaon nullah which further meets the Indrayani River. There was no alternative electricity provision made for the STP. Besides, sewage in the Dongargaon nullah was found untreated. It was also found that the LMC had not provided the STP with adequate capacity to treat the 17.5 MLD of domestic effluent generated.

As such, the MPCB has questioned the LMC as to why a prosecution proposal should not be filed against the municipal council and the persons responsible for its day-to-day affairs. The MPCB has also questioned as to why the LMC should not be charged the maximum environmental compensation for untreated or partially treated sewage.

J S Salunkhe, regional officer of MPCB Pune, said, “We have given an opportunity to the LMC to respond within 15 days with short-term measures and long-term corrective measures to treat 100% domestic effluent generated in its jurisdiction. In case of failure, the MPCB will initiate legal action against LMC without giving any further notice as per the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981.”

Whereas Ashok Sabale, chief executive officer of LMC, said that during the MPCB officials’ visit, the STP was closed due to a leakage issue but the plant is functional. The LMC will get nine more decentralised STPs under the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) project and ₹42 crore has been approved for the same. “The new STPs will solve the problem of untreated sewage in the council area. Besides, we are also working on treating the sewage in the nullahs and have approached agencies for the same,” he said.