Pimpri Chinchwad residents face growing air and noise pollution threat
Pimpri Chinchwad’s latest environmental status report has sounded the alarm over deteriorating air and noise quality, placing the twin city on high environmental alert. The 2024–25 review, released by the municipal corporation, highlights an escalating health and quality-of-life crisis driven by vehicular growth, industrial emissions, and unchecked urbanisation.
Data indicates that fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and coarse particulate matter (PM 10) have exceeded Maharashtra Pollution Control Board norms in several zones. Seasonal patterns show air quality dips sharply between November and March, with only brief improvements during the monsoon. Experts warn that such fluctuations point to systemic gaps in pollution control, particularly in construction dust management and industrial compliance. Noise pollution levels have also breached permissible limits in commercial and industrial hotspots such as market hubs, manufacturing clusters, and transit corridors. Officials cite traffic congestion, commercial activity, and inadequate noise control enforcement as key drivers. This rise in decibel levels has been linked to increased stress, sleep disturbances, and cardiovascular risks among residents.
Vehicular expansion has compounded the problem. The city now hosts over 1.9 million registered vehicles, marking a 36 per cent rise in just one year. While electric vehicles account for 3.5 per cent of the total fleet, officials admit the adoption pace is insufficient to offset emissions from fossil fuel-based transport. The public bus network, partly electrified, is being expanded, but coverage gaps remain in high-density areas. Rivers traversing the city reflect the same environmental strain. The Pavana River, flowing through the urban core, has emerged as the most contaminated due to untreated sewage inflows. The Indrayani and Mula rivers, though less central, face significant industrial effluent discharge. The municipal corporation has initiated tree plantation drives and waste-to-energy projects, including the processing of over 3.5 lakh metric tonnes of household waste into electricity. However, experts stress that without stronger source-level pollution prevention, such measures offer only partial relief.
Environmental monitoring is being enhanced through daily air quality tracking and targeted inspections of industrial units. A Nuisance Detection Squad has been tasked with penalising violators and enforcing construction dust mitigation. Yet, the report underscores a recurring challenge—limited citizen participation. Officials argue that sustainable improvement requires behavioural shifts, community-led monitoring, and wider public involvement in waste segregation and clean mobility adoption. With rapid urban growth and industrialisation showing no signs of slowing, Pimpri Chinchwad’s environmental future hinges on a decisive policy push and civic cooperation. The report frames pollution control not as an administrative burden but as a collective responsibility—one that demands immediate, consistent, and coordinated action to prevent irreversible damage to public health and the city’s liveability.
