Pune earmarks ₹1,000-cr for building 11 STPs

Matching to the Japan International Cooperation Agency's terms and conditions, the Pune Municipal Corporation has set aside a sum of ₹1,000 crore to treat sewage water released into the Mula-Mutha river, for which the PMC has to install additional sewage treatment plants to its waste management portfolio. The PMC has begun work on two major projects which are interdependent. JICA funded pollution abatement of the Mula-Mutha river and the Mula-Mutha riverfront development project. Under the JICA project, the PMC will construct 11 new sewage treatment plants (STPs) in different parts of the city. Currently, the city generates 744 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage and treats 550 MLD and the project will create an additional treatment capacity of 396 MLD. This includes the laying down of 113.6-km of sewage lines and renovation/rehabilitation of four existing intermediate pumping stations. When the JICA project is completed in 2025, it will process 850 MLD of sewage, whereas the sewage generation in the city then is expected to increase to 1,200 MLD. The riverfront development project aims to curb sewage flowing directly into Pune's rivers by laying an interceptor sewer, which will curb and divert the sewage to the nearest STP. It, therefore, becomes essential to plan for infrastructure services in advance.