Pune: The National Green Tribunal 's western bench on Wednesday directed the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority to provide a timeline for setting up sewage treatment plants along the Indrayani river to prevent the water body's further pollution. The directive came after the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) informed the bench that sewage treatment plants (STPs) would be constructed for pollution abatement and its proposal regarding the same was pending before the National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD). PMRDA stated in an affidavit filed with NGT on Oct 10 that a detailed project report of Rs583.
23 crore for the 87km river stretch was sent to NRCD on Jan 8, 2024, for approval and it was still under consideration. "It is apparent from the (PMRDA) affidavit that no timeline has been fixed for setting up of STPs and everything is made contingent upon the approval. Within how much period the same would be granted no one knows.
Therefore, we will have to fix the timeline within which the entire process of setting up of STPs has to be completed by the authorities concerned," said the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni. The matter has now been slated for Jan 9, 2025. The bench also impleaded six civic bodies — Lonavla Municipal Council, Vadgaon Nagar Panchayat, Talegaon Dabhade Municipal Council, Dehuroad Cantonment Board, Dehu Nagar Panchayat and Alandi Municipal Council.
They have been given four weeks to .