In a bid to combat environmental degradation, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued a stern warning to the Bhugaon Gram Panchayat, urging them to cease the dumping of untreated household and sewage water into the Ramnadi River. The civic authority’s move is part of an ongoing effort to curb pollution and preserve the ecological balance of the region.
The PMC, through an official letter, has called upon the Gram Panchayat to take immediate preventative measures and furnish a comprehensive report addressing the issue. Kedar Vaze, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of PMC Kothrud-Bavdhan Ward Office, highlighted the urgency of the matter, stating that the letter was dispatched on November 22. However, as of now, there has been no response from Bhugaon Gram Panchayat regarding their plans to halt the discharge of sewage water into Ramnadi.
Vaze emphasized that the lack of sewage treatment infrastructure, such as a sewage treatment plant (STP), poses a significant challenge. The untreated sewage water is reportedly being released near Cocorico Hotel in Bavdhan through two primary sewage pipes owned by the Pune Zilla Parishad and the Bhugaon Gram Panchayat.
Despite the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) recommending precautionary measures to both the Pune Zilla Parishad and Bhugaon Gram Panchayat on October 23, there has been a lack of concrete action to mitigate pollution in the river.
Resident advocate Krunal Gharre of Bavdhan acknowledged the PMC’s intervention as a positive step but emphasized the need for all local bodies, including Gram Panchayats, to ensure that no drainage, sewage, or contaminated water enters their jurisdiction. He stressed the importance of collective responsibility, aligning with the ‘Mazi Nadi, Mazi Jababdari’ plan.
