Allegations that untreated sewage from hotels, restaurants and other commercial establishments is entering the Khadakwasla dam’s water sources have raised concerns over the safety of drinking water supplied to Pune. The allegation was made by Nationalist Congress Party corporator Amol Balwadkar, who has called for an immediate inspection and action by the Pune Municipal Corporation.
According to a report by Lokmat – Pune, Balwadkar also shared a drone video that allegedly shows wastewater from a drain mixing with the Khadakwasla reservoir. The report does not establish through an independent test whether the water shown in the video contains untreated sewage or whether it has affected the quality of water supplied to the city.
The locations named in the report include Gore Budruk, Gore Khurd, the foothills of Sinhagad, Khanapur, Mandvi and Kudje. Some hotels, restaurants and commercial establishments in these areas have allegedly been releasing untreated wastewater directly into water sources connected to the dam.
Khadakwasla is part of the water system that meets Pune’s drinking-water needs, making any contamination of its catchment or connected sources a matter of public concern. If untreated wastewater is entering the reservoir, the issue would involve both environmental protection and the monitoring of water quality before treatment and distribution.
Balwadkar has demanded that the municipal administration conduct an immediate inspection to identify where and how the wastewater is being discharged. He has also called for regular patrolling around the dam area and punitive and legal action against establishments found violating wastewater-disposal rules.
The report further highlights the absence of adequate sewage-management infrastructure in villages around the dam. It says local residents and gram panchayats should not be held solely responsible for the problem without providing the infrastructure and funds required to manage sewage. The demand includes financial support from the municipal corporation or the state government to establish sewage treatment plants for the concerned gram panchayats.
Commercial establishments in the area have also been asked to install sewage treatment plants and ensure that only treated water meeting prescribed standards is discharged. However, the report does not provide details of any inspection, laboratory test, official notice, penalty or legal action issued by the Pune Municipal Corporation or other authorities in connection with the allegations.
The next steps called for in the report are an official inspection of the Khadakwasla catchment, identification of the alleged discharge points, testing of water samples and action against establishments found to be violating environmental or municipal rules.
