MPCB notice to PCMC over Indrayani River pollution

An analysis of the samples of the treated effluent found that the levels of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and detergent were far greater than the permissible limit. A notice was served stating that the civic body had failed to achieve the permissible standards

A day after deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, assured immediate action to combat the Indrayani River pollution, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on Monday served notice to the environment department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for violating the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, officials said.

The Indrayani River is reportedly being polluted due to untreated industrial and domestic waste being discharged into the river (HT PHOTO)

After toxic foam was found floating in the Indrayani River on Sunday, the MPCB officials immediately swung into action and visited the said location. They visited the PCMC-run sewage treatment plants (STPs) and collected samples of the treated effluent.

An analysis of these samples found that the levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and detergent were far greater than the permissible limit. A notice was served stating that the civic body had failed to achieve the permissible standards.

The Indrayani River is reportedly being polluted due to untreated industrial and domestic waste being discharged into the river. Pollution has been identified at various points along the river from Lonavala to Alandi, which fall under the jurisdiction of several local bodies. While the MPCB attributes the pollution to domestic sewage, the PCMC claims that it is caused by industrial effluent being released into the river. Interestingly, there have been repeated assurances of ending the Indrayani River pollution from chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, and education minister Deepak Kesarkar in the past but without success.

As per the MPCB officials, the PCMC is discharging approximately 59 MLD of untreated domestic effluent into the Mula, Pawana and Indrayani rivers. The untreated effluent is discharged through the Ramdara nullah into the Indrayani River. The 3 MLD STP on the Kudalwadi nullah set up by the PCMC is inadequate to treat the flow of the nullah.

There is no STP to treat the effluent generated from the Chikhali-Moshi area. The civic body is discharging sub-standard effluent from Talawade, Chikhali, Kudalwadi and Moshi areas directly into the Indrayani River. The untreated domestic effluent discharged from the Ravet STP through the drainage line of the PCMC, is bypassed during peak hours as there is no adequate storage, said MPCB officials in the notice.

Ravi Andhale, regional officer, MPCB Pune, said that the PCMC has failed to comply with the conditions stipulated in the consent granted by the board and provision of adequate drainage system. “We have allowed the PCMC to respond within 15 days with a corrective action plan along with short-term measures and long-term measures for the treatment of 100% domestic effluent generated in its jurisdiction. In case of failure, we will initiate legal action against the PCMC without giving any further notice under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,” he, said.

Sanjay Kulkarni, head of the environment department of the PCMC, said that he has yet to go through the notice and will be able to comment only after going through the same.