Pune : To reduce river pollution, PMC to clean up nullahs 

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made the decision to clean the nullahs under its jurisdiction that eventually join the rivers as a first step in reducing river pollution. According to officials, a substantial portion of river pollution is caused by untreated sewage and contaminated water from these nullahs.

According to the PMC commissioner, the city’s top priority will be to clean the nullahs, which eventually join the rivers, in order to have pollution-free waterways. Their main objectives will be to map nullahs, stop sewage from being released into them, and enhance stormwater drainage systems.

According to the MC, cleaning nullahs is crucial because it will drastically lessen river pollution.

The PMC Commissioner added that there are nine STPs operated by the PMC and that efforts are in progress to modernize the technology and capacity of the current STPs. Additionally, with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), 11 new STPs will be established. They are attempting to treat all of the sewage produced in the city.

11 villages were merged with the PMC in 2017, including Shivane, Ambegaon, Dhayari, Undri, and Mundhwa. Every day, the 11 villages produce 139 MLD of household waste, none of which is connected to the trunk line. The PMC has been working to make these villages’ sewage lines more connected since last year.

The 23 villages that were merged with the PMC later presented challenges for the civic body, just as they did for the 11 villages that were merged with the PMC earlier. There is no sewage line in the villages of Handewadi, Wadachiwadi, Shewalewadi, and Bhilarewadi, among others. These villages produce about 250 MLD of sewage per day, the majority of which is dumped untreated into nearby bodies of water.