Pimpri Chinchwad Housing Federation Opposes Action Against Societies Over Defunct STPs, Demands Crackdown On Builders Instead
Pimpri Chinchwad Housing Federation Opposes Action Against Societies Over Defunct STPs, Demands Crackdown On Builders Instead
Pimpri-Chinchwad, July 3, 2026: The Chikhali-Moshi Pimpri-Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Society Federation has strongly opposed the government’s decision to initiate action against housing societies for non-functional Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The federation argued that residents should not be punished for the negligence of builders and demanded that action be taken against developers and officials responsible for violating regulations.
Federation President Sanjivan Sangale said several builders obtained Completion Certificates despite failing to install functional STPs or by providing substandard and inadequate treatment systems. In many projects, operational STPs were never formally handed over to the housing societies, leaving residents to deal with the consequences.
He stated that it is the builder’s responsibility to install a fully functional STP and transfer it to the society in proper working condition before handing over the project. Instead of acting against builders who failed to meet these obligations, the civic administration is threatening to disconnect water supply to housing societies, a move the federation termed unfair and unjust.
Sangale also pointed out that the issue had previously been raised in the state legislature, where a proposal was made to hold builders responsible for operating and maintaining STPs for five years after project handover. Although the government had assured positive consideration of the proposal, it has not been implemented. Instead, authorities are now directing action against housing societies.
The federation has urged the government to conduct a case-by-case inquiry into every STP-related issue and take strict action against defaulting builders, officials who approved non-compliant projects, and those responsible for regulatory violations. It maintained that holding the original offenders accountable, rather than penalising innocent residents by disrupting their water supply, would ensure effective enforcement of environmental regulations while delivering justice to citizens.
“While we fully support the need for functional STPs to protect the environment, it is unjust to disconnect the water supply of thousands of residents for the failures of builders who secured Completion Certificates without installing proper sewage treatment systems. The government should investigate the role of defaulting builders, concerned officials, and lapses in the approval process instead of penalising housing societies. Only by fixing accountability at the source can environmental norms be effectively enforced while ensuring justice for residents,” said Sanjivan Sangale, President, Chikhali-Moshi Pimpri-Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Society Federation.
