Pavana River in Priority 1 Pollution Category, But No Central Funding Available and PCMC Has Only 40% State Share
The National Green Tribunal NGT has asked Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation PCMC to explain how it plans to finance a sewage treatment project for the heavily polluted Pavana River after the Maharashtra government filed an affidavit stating there are insufficient funds under the 15th Finance Commission cycle to consider a new project, making it impossible for the National River Conservation Directorate NRCD to provide funding for a sewage treatment plant. PCMC has expressed willingness to provide 40 percent of the project cost as the state share but with central funding unavailable under the existing National River Conservation Plan, the civic body must explore alternative sources for the remaining 60 percent. The tribunal granted PCMC four weeks to file an affidavit detailing its funding options and alternative implementation mechanisms while also giving NRCD and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti's Department of Water Resources four weeks to file their replies. The state added that a proposal to continue the National River Conservation Plan under the 16th Finance Commission cycle covering 2026-27 to 2030-31 is still under consideration.
The tribunal is hearing two connected cases concerning Pavana River pollution, including one initiated following a February 2024 news report that classified the river in the Priority 1 pollution category, Maharashtra's most severe level of river contamination. In a separate development, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board submitted inspection reports on four polluting industries with environmental compensation details assessed against them, and the NGT directed these industries to be added as respondents with four weeks to file replies. The directions were issued on September 10 and the matter will next be heard on October 15. For Pimpri Chinchwad's residents who depend on the Pavana and for the thousands of warkaris who take a holy dip in the Indrayani and Pavana during religious occasions, the funding deadlock between central and state agencies means the river cleanup keeps getting pushed into future Finance Commission cycles while pollution continues unabated on the ground.
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