Timeline for Pavana River action plan expired a year ago: CPCB to NGT

PUNE: According to the response submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to the western bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on January 4, 2025, the timeline for the Pavana River action plan approved by the CPCB in 2019 expired about a year ago. The CPCB has requested the NGT to direct the Maharashtra government to ensure regular review and execution of the action plan by the River Rejuvenation Committee (RRC), including required revision of timelines.

The CPCB’s response is part of an ongoing case in the NGT regarding the Pavana River entering the ‘priority 1’ or ‘most polluted’ category under the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) standards in 2023. On February 26, 2024, Hindustan Times had reported about the increased pollution level in the Pavana River causing the river to enter the most polluted priority 1 category. Based on the report, the NGT registered a suo moto case and asked the CPCB to file a response on the issue. Thereafter, the CPCB submitted a response in August and October. Despite that, the NGT asked the CPCB to submit an additional response incorporating an action plan and timelines to deal with the pollution in the Pavana River. Accordingly, the CPCB submitted its response on January 4 through Pratik Bharne, scientist and regional director at CPCB Pune. In the response the CPCB said that in 2018, it had identified 53 polluted river stretches in Maharashtra out of which the polluted stretch of the Pavana River was identified from Dapodi to Ravet under the priority 2 category (biochemical oxygen demand/BOD being 20 to 30 mg/L).

A state-level RRC was formed comprising the director of the environment department, urban development, industries, member-secretary of the MPCB etc. The RRC formulated a river rejuvenation plan for the Pavana River that was eventually approved on March 23, 2019 by the CPCB. According to the action plan sanctioned in 2019, the dedicated timeline for the completion of the project for water quality sampling, sewage treatment plant (STP) upgrades, waste management systems, and restoration of water quality was 2023.

However, due to a delay in the implementation of the action plan, the pollution level increased in the Pavana River. In 2023, the MPCB water sample testing revealed that the Pavana River has entered the priority 1 or most polluted category of river stretches which means that BOD levels in the river are above 30 mg/L, indicating a decrease in the natural oxygen level of the water due to high accumulation of organic waste.

The CPCB further mentioned that given this, the NGT may kindly consider directing the state government to ensure regular review and execution of the action plan by the RRC, including required revision of timelines.

Meanwhile, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) also submitted its response on December 30, 2024 highlighting that the status of most actions, especially related to sewage management, are still in the implementation stage. The corporation mentioned that projects would be completed by December 2027 as per availability of land and funds.