PMC to conduct weekly river clean-up drives

Speaking during the event, mayor Manjusha Nagpure called for a complete ban on plastic in Pune, arguing that partial restrictions have failed to curb rampant plastic use

Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Wednesday announced that the civic body will conduct weekly clean-up drives along the Mula-Mutha river as part of the River Festival initiative. He was speaking at the second edition of the event on Wednesday.

PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, mayor Manjusha Nagpure among others performing aarti at Mutha ghat in Vitthalwadi as a part of river festival. (HT)

Speaking during the event, mayor Manjusha Nagpure called for a complete ban on plastic in Pune, arguing that partial restrictions have failed to curb rampant plastic use.

“Plastic, especially carry bags, must be completely banned within PMC limits. The administration has the capacity to enforce it, but unless the ban is total and strict, usage will continue unchecked,” Nagpure said.

She said the River Festival would only be meaningful if it led to sustained behavioural change.

“The river festival has succeeded because of cooperation from all stakeholders. But such initiatives must result in long-term changes at the ground level, especially among the youth, who can drive real social change,” she said.

Nagpure flagged low citizen participation in civic programmes.

“Residents are often not adequately involved despite policies that mandate participation. Citizens must be taken into confidence, and their suggestions should be implemented seriously,” she said.

“There has not been as much progress as we had hoped. Pollution continues to remain a major issue. We need to ask whether we are focusing more on concretisation than sustainability,” she said.

Calling for wider access to alternatives, she said:“People need practical alternatives. Environmental organisations have repeatedly offered solutions, but we are not listening to them enough. Their role should be strengthened,” she added.

On waste management, she advocated decentralised systems.

“Sending waste from housing societies to processing plants such as Khadakwasla is inefficient. We need localised processing units at the township level,” she said.

She also raised concerns over sewage treatment plants (STPs).

“Have proper surveys been conducted to check whether STPs are functioning effectively? Enforcement is just as important as policy,” she said.

Nagpure urged a stronger focus on implementation.

“Budgets should prioritise citizen outreach and work must happen consistently on the ground, not just on paper,” she said, adding that many drives become symbolic. “Many campaigns are reduced to photo opportunities. What we need is sustained work that creates visible impact.”

Ram said the PMC would institutionalise weekly clean-ups, moving beyond annual or symbolic efforts.

“River Festival 2.0 will not remain limited to a yearly event. Every week, we will identify one of the dirtiest locations in the city and conduct focused clean-up drives with citizens, students, NGOs and civic officials. This initiative will now be institutionalised,” he said.

He said the focus would be on the most polluted stretches.

“We do not want to showcase already clean areas. The idea is to work in places where people hesitate to even step in and transform them through collective action,” he said.

Ram said the initiative now had stronger institutional backing.

“When we started these efforts earlier, there was no elected representation. Now, with the mayor, deputy mayor and the full municipal team involved, we can take this forward in a more structured and effective manner,” he said.

Acknowledging the river’s deterioration, he said behavioural change was key.

“We have around 4,000 sanitation workers, but Pune’s population is close to 80 lakh. If people continue littering and mismanaging waste, no civic system can handle the pressure,” he said.

He said the PMC was addressing source pollution through sewage treatment plants with a combined capacity of 1,100 MLD, expected to become operational within a year. However, non-source pollution remains a challenge.

“Pune currently has nearly 1,400 construction sites. If construction and demolition waste is not disposed of properly, it eventually reaches the river,” he said.

Ram said cleanliness cannot be achieved by administration alone.

“In countries such as Japan and South Korea, people do not generate waste irresponsibly. If we adopt the same mindset, the need for large-scale cleaning operations will reduce significantly,” he said.

Referring to Mission LiFE, he urged sustainable habits.

“Water conservation and responsible consumption must become part of daily life,” he said.

Calling Pune an “intellectual city with a strong civic culture”, Ram said success depends on public participation.

“The success of this programme depends on citizens as much as the PMC. Through consistent weekly action, we want to bring visible change to the Mula-Mutha,” he said.