Comprehensive plan for reuse of polluted water to be developed: Pankaja Munde

The Environment Department is set to develop a comprehensive plan for reuse of polluted water Maharashtra Environment Minister Pankaja Munde said on MondayThe plan is also to prevent sewage from contaminating rivers and lakes while promoting the reuse of polluted water an official statement saidIt said that a technical cell will be established to implement innovative technologies for pollution control in municipal and metropolitan areas announced Pankaja MundePankaja Munde was speaking at a oneday 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 PowaiThe event focused on sustainable sewage management in municipal corporations and local selfgoverning bodiesThe event was attended by KH Govindrao Principal Secretary of Urban Development 2 Department Dr Avinash Dhakne Member Secretary of MPCB Prof Munesh Kumar Chandel and Prof Anil Kumar Dixit from IIT Powai as well as pollution control officers and technical experts from municipal corporations across MaharashtraPankaja 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 programs for local governing bodies on innovative wastewater management technologiesShe 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 generationsPrincipal Secretary KH 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 effectivelyMPCB Member Secretary Dr Avinash Dhakne presented a detailed assessment of the current state of water pollution in Maharashtrarsquos municipal areas Experts like Dr Rakesh Kumar from Indore and Prof Anil Kumar from IIT Bombay discussed natural pollution control methodsExperts also presented insights on Strengthening Infrastructure for Polluted Water Purification with contributions from Prof Brijesh Dubey IIT Kharagpur Tanmay Kamble Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran and Kailas Shirodkar Eco Environment Practice Officials from Mumbai Konkan Western Maharashtra North Maharashtra Marathwada and Vidarbha shared success stories of innovative pollution control initiativesDuring the event Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde gave a presentation on Sustainable Solutions for Clean Water