PMC cancels proposal to set up STP for Phursungi-Uruli, villagers upset

After the formation of Phursungi and Uruli municipal council, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken the decision to withdraw the proposal of setting up a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Manjari Village. This is a major setback for the villages.

When the state government merged 34 villages in the PMC limit including Phursungi and Uruli, the corporation had proposed two sewage treatment plants in these villages at the cost of ₹350 crore.

One STP was proposed in Manjari Village which had a capacity 93 Million litre per day (MLD) and another was being planned to be set up in Mundhwa-Keshav Nagar area with capacity of 12 MLD. Both projects were part of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) river project.

In December 2022, chief minister Eknath Shinde took the decision to exclude Phursungi and Uruli villages from PMC limits and form the municipal council of these two villages as per demand of residents and local politicians.

Jagdish Khanore, Project head of JICA said, “As the state government has taken decision to form Municipal council of Phursungi and Uruli villages, PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar has taken decision to cancel one STP project. The other STP project in Keshavnagar-Mundhwa village is going on as per schedule.”

Vijay Shivtare former minister of state and former member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Saswad constituency who played a major role in formation of council said, “Municipal corporation cannot withdraw the proposal and all proposed projects must be carried out. The state government will take care of funds. Before taking the decision, the PMC should have consulted us. “

Mahadev Salunke, resident of Phursungi village said, “Phursungi and Uruli have been taking care of PMC garbage for over a decade. The civic body has been dumping its garbage here and we are facing health-related issues. It is unfair to withdraw the proposed STP. It is the responsibility of PMC to provide basic infrastructure.”

Balasaheb Harpare, a resident of Phursungi who had environment interest litigation (EIL) over the serious issues of waste mismanagement and non-transparency in the implementation of the municipal solid waste (MSW) management project by PMC in 2015 said, “Villagers are facing major health, environment problems even after PMC has stopped dumping garbage in our jurisdiction. Water has already been contaminated and PMC is supplying water through tankers. If we are facing a long lasting problem of PMC garbage, it is the duty of the PMC to provide us with basic facilities including treatment of sewage water.”

PMC officials were unavailable for comment.