Pune PHOTOS: Dumping Of Debris & Waste On Mutha Riverbed Raises Questions Of Negligence

Less than 800 metres from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) head office, debris and waste continue to be dumped on the Mutha riverbed near Tanpura Bridge, sparking serious concerns over civic apathy and environmental neglect.

Despite repeated assurances about maintaining river cleanliness and preventing encroachments along the riverbanks, the dumping activity remains unchecked. Locals and environmental activists have raised an alarm, questioning how such large-scale violations can occur within such close proximity to the civic body’s headquarters.

The piles of construction debris and mixed waste not only obstruct the natural flow of the river but also pose a major threat to the ecosystem and public health.

Activists have demanded immediate action from the authorities, asking, “Who is watching?” They are urging PMC to initiate strict action against those responsible and implement round-the-clock monitoring to prevent further degradation of the Mutha River.

Former Mayor and Member of Parliament Vandana Chavan said, "I have been constantly agitating against the dumping on the Mutha riverbed. Once, we even sat near the riverbed agitating against the dumping, but we were told that the civic body would deploy wardens to keep a check if garbage is being dumped. However, we never saw any wardens; the garbage was dumped there at night. Even if the civic body claims to have guards keeping a watch on illegal dumping at night, how can they completely stop the dumping? The river has turned into a dumping yard. The civic body shows some good pictures to the Centre and gets awards, and when we question them, they get disturbed and say that we got awards for our work and how can we be questioning about the illegal dumping at the riverbeds. I have been raising this issue time and again and have now reached a point of frustration. We are even considering holding a protest near the riverbed.”

"The PMC's repeated failure to prevent debris dumping reflects a dangerous disregard for environmental norms and public health. Despite MPCB’s directives and the formation of a dedicated committee by PMC in 2024 to monitor and curb illegal dumping, all kinds of debris continue to choke the riverbed, turning the rivers into a neglected landfill. The lack of sustained monitoring, public disclosure of violators, and punitive action undermines the credibility of PMC," said social activist Vandana Chaudhary.

Social activist Sarang Yadavkar said, “The Water Resources Department may oversee the state’s irrigation systems, but the real responsibility for safeguarding our rivers lies with the local governing body. Unfortunately, the PMC seems least interested in preserving them. As the number of high-rise projects grows, builders excavate 60–70 feet for basement parking, and the debris often ends up dumped in riverbeds. The Water Resources Department claims helplessness, but they’re right; it’s PMC’s duty to act. With rising FSI and rapid urbanisation, we are literally trading our rivers for parking spaces.”

Meanwhile, speaking to The Free Press Journal, Santosh Warule, Zone 2 Deputy Commissioner, PMC, said, "The Pune Metro work is going on, and they dump the garbage into the riverbed. We have asked the authorities to adhere to the rules. We will send out a team to scout the area and get a check of the situation there. The debris will be removed at the earliest from the riverbed."

Sandeep Kadam, Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management Department), PMC, said, "The dumping is done by the Pune Metro, and we have asked them to remove the debris."