The Indian Express       18.07.2013

Pavana river is highly polluted: PCMC report

Civic activists said this was not new information. "It has been a known fact for years. Discharge of untreated industrial effluents and domestic waste has rendered the water unusable," said Sachin Godambe, an environment activist.

The growing pollution was first highlighted by Pune Newsline 15 years ago. Newsline had reported how the water of the river had turned blood-red after untreated effluent was discharged from a chemical unit in Thergaon. PCMC had promised to initiate suitable action to reduce the pollution. "It announced plans, but they seem to have remained on paper," said D G Baliga, another activist.

Fifteen years later, at least ten incidents of dead fish surfacing in thousands have been reported. "Every time, PCMC would collect water samples and promise to check the quality of water. However, officials never made these reports public," said another activist Shridhar Chalkha. Sanjay Kulkarni, executive engineer of the environment cell, said the environment status report is from 2011-2012. "In the past one year, we have initiated several steps, including desilting by demolishing old bunds. The desilting has helped reduce the pollution levels," he said.

Kulkarni said PCMC has also taken the initiative to set up a central effluent treatment plant for the industrial sector. "While the big industrial units have their own effluent treatment plants, the smaller chemical units do not because of the cost factor. Since Pavana river falls under the jurisdiction of PCMC, we will soon set up a common effluent treatment plant," he said.