Task force to tackle water and sewage issues in Pune: Minister
The directive came during a review meeting held at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) headquarters, where ongoing water reuse planning and sewage treatment efforts were assessed.
Also present in the meeting were public representatives from Pune, including minister of state for Urban Development Madhuri Misal, MLAs Vijay Shivtare, Bhimrao Tapkir, Siddharth Shirole and Sunil Kamble.
Vikhe Patil pointed out that PMC is drawing more water than allocated, which has impacted irrigation in downstream areas like Daund, Indapur and Purandar. He highlighted that Pune's per capita water consumption is higher than other large cities and flagged the alarming 40% leakage rate in water distribution.
'If we can trace and fix these leakages, it will be possible to supply adequate water for irrigation needs as well,' he said.
He also called for measures to reuse treated water for gardens and other non-potable purposes. 'Water released into rivers must meet prescribed treatment standards,' he said. He also instructed PMC to ensure that at least 80% of the sewage generated in the city is treated before being discharged.
He further suggested appointing a third-party agency to carry out a comprehensive survey of riverbanks in Pune to identify pollution hotspots and encroachments.
Minister of state Madhuri Misal said that PMC must take concrete steps to plug leakages in the water supply system, and that permission should be granted to remove encroachments along canals under the irrigation department and develop public amenities like cycle tracks at these locations.
PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram assured the gathering that a detailed study of the water leakage issue would be undertaken soon. He said that 80% of the equal water distribution project is complete and 3 lakh water meters have been installed, and another 5 lakh to be fitted soon.
He added that with the inclusion of the newly-merged villages, PMC has become one of the largest municipal corporations in Maharashtra, and planning is underway to manage the expanded water demand. Currently, 477 MLD (million litres per day) of sewage is being treated, and the JICA-funded project is expected to be completed by March 2026, adding a new capacity of 396 MLD for sewage treatment.
The MLAs present at the meeting also shared their individual suggestions. A presentation on water management and sewage treatment was given by additional commissioner Pradeep Chandra and senior officials from the Water Resources department. Senior officials from PMC and the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation were also present.
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