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Maharashtra's Pollution Crisis: Waste Overwhelms State
6 Mar
Summary
- Nearly a lakh MT of plastic waste contaminates Maharashtra's environment.
- Less than 52% of the state's sewage undergoes treatment.
- Mithi River shows contamination levels nearly 10 times the permissible limit.
Maharashtra's latest Economic Survey highlights a significant environmental concern, revealing that approximately a lakh metric tonnes of plastic waste and nearly half of the state's generated sewage continue to pollute its land, rivers, and coastal waters. This situation arises from a sharp increase in non-biodegradable plastic waste and inadequate collection and disposal systems.
Water pollution remains a major issue, with only 51.4% of the state's sewage receiving treatment. This means substantial volumes of untreated wastewater are discharged into natural water bodies. The Mithi river in Mumbai exemplifies this crisis, exhibiting faecal coliform levels nearly ten times the permissible range, indicating severe contamination and a severely degraded ecosystem.
Addressing these challenges, Maharashtra is undertaking various initiatives including lake and river conservation projects and establishing sewage treatment plants. The Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyaan has also contributed through tree planting and rejuvenation of water sources, aiming for a more sustainable future.
