Pune: National Green Tribunal's western bench has directed Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to provide a timeline for construction of 23 sewage treatment plants on Pawana river basin. The directive includes submission of a detailed project report of the improvement plan within five weeks. The tribunal issued the directive while hearing a case filed by activist Krunnal Gharre regarding increasing pollution levels in Pawana river, categorising it as priority-1, according to Central Pollution Control Board's standards.
The corporation said that 23 STPs of 120 MLD will be installed on Pawana riverbed. A system improvement plan has been devised by PCMC, which includes laying new sewer networks, repairing choked chambers, and setting up a real-time monitoring system with a third-party agency. "We find that no timeline for completing this task is stated therein.
Under these circumstances, respondent No.1 (PCMC) is directed to submit the details in tabular form about the work proposed to be done and funds to be provided from the authorities (name of the authorities) because in case any authority is needed to be impleaded as a respondent in the present case, the same may be impleaded and direction may be issued to it regarding the same and also the timeline for completion of the task after receipt of the funds," said the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority will also submit a detailed proj.
