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PUNE: In order to accomplish its goal of treating 90 per cent of the sewage generated in the city by 2009, the Pune Municipal Corporation has stepped up work on the incomplete sewage treatment plants (STPs) and has decided to complete them on priority basis.

Speaking to TOI, V G Kulkarni, head of sewage department, said, the new plant near Naidu hospital and the one at Mundhwa would be completed by 2009. "They will help in keeping the rivers clean," he added.

The aim is to release treated water in the river so that the river navigation project can be taken up in the next financial year and also abide by its commitment of treating every drop of water before it is released in the river.

Nearly 500 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage is generated in the city, but only 300 MLD of it is treated. As a result, a lot of untreated waste is released into the rivers leading to pollution.

Kulkarni said the corporation has received funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for augmenting STPs.

"There are five STPs in operation, and with the JNNURM funds, five more are to be set up. Out of the new five to be built, work on three Naidu with a capacity of 115 MLD; Mundhwa, 40 MLD and Baner with 30 MLD capacity has already begun. We aim to treat a at least 460 MLD sewage by March," Kulkarni said.

Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi had recently said that the PMC would complete work on STPs at the earliest. A loan of Rs 76 crore from banks, partly to be used for STPs, had also been proposed by the PMC.

"The PMC has a moral responsibility of releasing treated water in the rivers as they are a source for villagers living downstream. Therefore, in addition to our plan of treating sewage, we have also made it mandatory for housing societies of more than 150 flats to have their own treatment plants. They have been urged to recycle water and use it for washing purposes," Kulkarni said.

A case has been pending against the PMC for more than five years now for releasing untreated sewage in the Mula and Mutha rivers. The PMC had made a commitment then that it would not release a single drop of untreated waste in the rivers. " The PMC has to live by its commitment ," Kulkarni added.
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