In a bid to draw attention to the alarming pollution levels in Ram Zhara, one of Pimpri Chinchwad’s prominent streams, environmentalists are planning to conduct a pooja at the site. The stream, which converges with the Indrayani River after flowing through Chikhali, has been a consistent source of concern due to untreated effluents discharged from warehouses and small industrial units in the Kudalwadi area.
The chosen date for the event precedes the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya scheduled for January 22, and it is organized by approximately 26 social groups and NGOs. Activists aim to leverage the pooja as a symbolic gesture to highlight the deteriorating condition of the Ram Zhara.
According to mythological beliefs, the stream derived its name when Lord Ram is said to have initiated its flow by striking an arrow at its origin. Sant Tukaram Maharaj’s abhang also mentions the significance of the stream, where he is believed to have consumed water frequently during his travels.
While the Ram Zhara was once a vital water source for locals, it has now become a victim of untreated sewage water discharge permitted by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Illicit industries and scrap yards in the vicinity further contribute to the pollution by discharging hazardous chemicals into the stream.
A senior PCMC official stated that measures are being taken to address the pollution issue, including the operation of a sewage treatment plant (STP) with a 3 MLD capacity for the Ram Zhara.
