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Sewage Overwhelms Pune Lake: Activists Slam PMC
9 Apr
Summary
- Untreated sewage enters Pashan Lake due to inadequate plant capacity.
- Activists accuse Pune Municipal Corporation of poor planning and infrastructure.
- Pashan Lake's ecosystem is severely degraded, impacting aquatic life.
Pashan Lake in Pune is facing severe pollution from untreated sewage, according to local residents and activists. They allege that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has allowed this situation by commissioning an inadequate 1 million litres per day sewage treatment plant (STP). This plant, they claim, was over-capacity even during its trial runs, forcing diversion of excess sewage, which is now reportedly entering the lake.
Concerns are raised about the rapid growth of water hyacinth and the degradation of the lake's ecosystem. Activists point to the diminishing dissolved oxygen levels, making it impossible for fish and other aquatic life to survive. The situation has transformed the once vibrant lake into a near-dead ecosystem, with a persistent foul odor reported in the vicinity.
A PMC official has refuted these claims, stating that the sewage entering the lake originates from upstream areas outside PMC limits. However, residents are demanding comprehensive studies and the creation of adequate treatment infrastructure to restore the lake's ecological balance. Legal action has reportedly been initiated by some activists seeking environmental cost impositions.
