Home / Environment / Pune's River Revival: Citizens & PMC Unite for Clean Mutha
Pune's River Revival: Citizens & PMC Unite for Clean Mutha
1 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Thousands of citizens and PMC collaborated for Pune's first River Festival.
- Volunteers removed 294 tonnes of waste from the River Mutha in four hours.
- The festival marks a shift towards citizen-administration partnership for environmental goals.
Pune recently hosted its inaugural 'River Festival 2025 - Clean River, Beautiful Pune' on the Mutha River, a testament to collaborative efforts between citizens and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The event garnered enthusiastic participation from thousands, underscoring a shared vision for a cleaner urban environment and marking a crucial shift in addressing ecological challenges through public-private partnerships.
The festival's centerpiece was a large-scale cleanup operation from Bhide Bridge to Mhatre Bridge. In a remarkable four-hour effort, volunteers and PMC teams successfully cleared 294 tonnes of debris, including road gravel, overgrown grass, and general garbage, from the riverbed. This significant undertaking was supported by numerous environmental organizations and involved extensive use of civic machinery and personnel.
Beyond the cleanup, the festival celebrated Pune's vibrant culture with student performances. Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram highlighted the initiative as a model for citizen engagement, emphasizing that such partnerships are vital for achieving the city's environmental aspirations and transforming Pune into the cleanest and most beautiful city.
