Notice to DIAT Pune over water pollution in Khadakwasla dam

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on Friday issued a notice to the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) over water pollution in the Khadakwasla dam.

The board received a complaint from the irrigation department in January about the untreated sewage being discharged by DIAT into the nallah in a nearby area which is then mixed with water in Khadakwasla dam. The board officials conducted a visit on February 3 to the site and water samples were collected from the nalla and sent for checking. The water sample was blackish in colour, with a septic condition and bad smell.

The notice also mentioned that the total water requirement of the institute is about 947 m3/day (757 m3/day) for domestic purposes, the generation of effluent of 606 m3/day, however, for treatment of the same the institute has not provided STP plant.

JS Salunkhe, regional officer, MPCB Pune, said, “The educational institution is located in “Pollution Prevention Area” under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 & Authorization under Rule 6 of the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2016. It is obligatory for the institute to provide an adequate sewage treatment plant (STP) for the treatment of domestic effluent generated by the institute. As the institute has failed to comply with the conditions of various environmental enactments, we have issued a notice to them.”

“In-person hearing will be held, the representatives of the institute are called to present their side on the said issue, and further action will be taken based on the response received by the institute,” he said.

DIAT was unavailable for comment.