State govt mulls special authority for better management of river infrastructure projects in Pune

Pune: State govt is now contemplating forming a special authority to manage the Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation projects, following the apparent inability of various administrative bodies to prevent daily discharge of untreated sewage into the rivers, leading to mounting pollution concerns in recent times.The new body if constituted will oversee completion of key river infrastructure projects in both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, including not just sewage treatment plants (STPs) but also riverfront development (RFD), said officials.But environmental activists claimed that while efforts to improve management of these projects are welcome, govt should focus on increasing coordination among various existing agencies instead of forming additional authorities and adding to the chaos.State minister for environment and climate change, Pankaja Munde, during her visit to Pune earlier in April, had inspected STPs and river infrastructure projects. She said, "The primary objective of these projects is to eliminate pollution in the Mula-Mutha. They aid in treating and reusing sewage water. The projects should be made fully operational at the earliest. The root causes of pollution must be identified and addressed through strong technical and administrative measures."Commenting on the latest development, Shailaja Deshpande of Jeevitnadi, an organisation working for river restoration, said, "Only formation of a new authority will not be of help. This agency should work beyond state and Central boundaries. At present, local bodies are not being held responsible for the issues caused to the river in their limits."As per Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), treatment capacity of 477 million litres per day (MLD) is currently available in its limits, as against total sewage generation of 980 MLD). Under Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), total sewage generation us 515 MLD and treatment capacity of 423 MLD is available.Several river-related projects and works have been in the crosshairs of public criticism in recent years. Under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), the ‘Pollution abatement of Mula-Mutha river in Pune, Maharashtra' project, along with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) assistance, was sanctioned at a total cost of Rs990.26 crore around a decade ago, of which Rs841.72 crore is the Centre's share. The project envisages creation of 396 MLD sewage treatment capacity in Pune and laying of a 53.5km sewerage network line. The project was scheduled for completion by March 2026, but has clearly missed the deadline.Meanwhile, the contentious RFD project spans the entire 44km length of the Mula and Mutha rivers flowing through the city. In the initial phase, work on a 3.7-km stretch between Sangamwadi and Bund Garden was prioritised, and approximately 90% of the work is complete. The 1.5-km Sangamwadi portion is ready in all respects. Expansion is underway on other sections — including a 5.5-km stretch from Bund Garden to Mundhwa and an 8.1-km stretch between Aundh and Balewadi.Priyadarshani Karve, an environmental expert, told TOI, "The priority of authorities should be to completely treat all generated sewage. Only working on riverfront development will not be efficient unless sewage treatment issues are resolved. The special authority should not be the priority, but the infrastructure to deal with river pollution should be."
Check AP SSC 10th Result 2026 on TOI