Mumbai, Feb 10 Maharashtra Minister of Environment Pankaja Munde on Monday said that the government is set to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent sewage from contaminating rivers and lakes while promoting the reuse of polluted water.
Additionally, a technical cell will be established to implement innovative technologies for pollution control in municipal and metropolitan areas.
She was speaking at a one-day conference on "Municipal Wastewater Management Gaps, Sustainability, and the Way Forward," organised jointly by the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and IIT Powai.
The event focused on sustainable sewage management in municipal corporations and local self-governing bodies.
Munde highlighted that large volumes of untreated sewage from village panchayats, municipal corporations, and metropolitan areas directly enter rivers, causing significant environmental and health concerns.
To tackle this issue, the Environment Department will prepare a strategic and technical plan for river and lake conservation. Furthermore, a dedicated technical cell will be set up to provide training and awareness programmes for local governing bodies on innovative wastewater management technologies.
She also stressed that pesticides used in agriculture contribute to water pollution. To mitigate this, a collaborative approach between various government departments is necessary to ensure strict pollution control measures.
This includes public awareness campaigns, legal actions where required, and enforcement of environmental regulations.
She urged citizens to actively participate in environmental protection, emphasising that sustainable efforts today will ensure a healthier future for coming generations.
The state urban development principal secretary K.H. Govindrao highlighted that untreated sewage often contaminates drinking water sources. He suggested that if sewage could be treated and reused locally, pollution levels could be significantly reduced.
He emphasised the need for wastewater treatment plants, awareness campaigns, and interdepartmental cooperation to address this challenge effectively.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Dr. Avinash Dhakne presented a detailed assessment of the current state of water pollution in Maharashtra’s municipal areas.
Experts like Dr. Rakesh Kumar from Indore and Prof Anil Kumar from IIT Bombay discussed natural pollution control methods.
They also presented insights on "Strengthening Infrastructure for Polluted Water Purification".
Officials from Mumbai, Konkan, Western Maharashtra, North Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha shared success stories of innovative pollution control initiatives. Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde gave a presentation on "Sustainable Solutions for Clean Water".
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