In a striking juxtaposition of financial challenges, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) finds itself caught between soaring water usage bills and hefty fines for untreated sewage discharge.
The PMC, responsible for sourcing water from the Khadakwasla Dam to cater to Pune’s needs, has been slapped with an astronomical bill of Rs 110.88 crore by the Water Resources Department of the Government of Maharashtra for the period from July 2023 to February 2024. Paradoxically, PMC is facing an even steeper penalty of Rs 92.41 crore for discharging untreated wastewater directly into the river, overshadowing its expenditure on providing drinking water. The roots of PMC’s predicament trace back to 2016 when it began incurring fines from the Water Resources Department for inadequately treating sewage. Despite generating 835 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, PMC’s treatment facilities can only process 438 MLD, leaving a substantial portion untreated. Consequently, the corporation bears the brunt of penalties imposed for the untreated sewage, exacerbating its financial strain. Over the years, the PMC has been presented with staggering bills totalling Rs 748 crore for city water usage, with an outstanding debt of Rs 1,196 crore, inclusive of penalties. Although PMC has disbursed Rs 859 crore to date, a significant outstanding balance of Rs 338 crore persists, coupled with a request for an additional Rs 478 crore in pre-2014 funds.
Despite investing approximately Rs 500 crore annually in sewage treatment, PMC faces additional fines amounting to Rs 100 crore due to the non-utilisation of purified water from the constructed jack well at Mundhwa, in compliance with the Water Resources Department’s directive. In an effort to address water pollution, PMC is spearheading the Pollution Abatement Project of River Mula-Mutha with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). With an estimated cost of Rs 1200 crore, the project aims to purify 100% of the city’s wastewater by 2026. However, the city’s expansion poses new sewage challenges even amidst ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the river.
