The Bombay High Court has issued an order to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to address the issue of sewage water discharge from Shri Morya Gosavi Samadhi Mandir into the Pavana River in Pimpri Chinchwad. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Shantanu Nandgude, a concerned citizen, in 2019.
The petitioner, Shantanu Nandgude, had observed the improper disposal of sewage water from the temple premises. Speaking to FPJ, he said, “In 2019, after visiting the temple, I noticed that sewage water was being discharged from the temple premises. Consequently, I lodged a complaint with the Charity Commissioner, who, in turn, instructed the PCMC Commissioner to investigate the matter. Despite numerous complaints, the temple trust did not cease this activity. In fact, an office of Vishva Hindu Parishad was found in the area, which constituted an encroachment, with its toilet connected to the temple premises. Subsequently, after several attempts by the temple trust to rectify the situation proved fruitless, I filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with the Bombay High Court.”
Allegations of illegal construction
The subject of the PIL revolved around allegations of illegal construction of a drainage/sewage line inside the temple premises, which was allegedly connected to the Pavana River for discharge.
Following the PIL, on May 14, 2021, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation issued a notice requiring the Trustees of Chinchwad Devasthan Trust to either connect the sewage line to the main sewage line of the Municipal Corporation or build a septic tank to prevent drainage water from polluting the Pavana River. Despite these instructions, the sewage line was not removed.
Furthermore, a notice dated February 20, 2019, was issued by the Assistant Director of the Department of Archaeology, Pune, to ensure that the temple was planned properly and did not cause inconvenience to devotees, emphasizing the need to maintain the sanctity of the temple and protect the environment.
PCMC expected to complete this process within three months
As a result, the Bombay High Court issued directions to the Municipal Corporation to conduct a spot inspection of the temple and its surroundings in the presence of both the Trust's representatives and the petitioner. If irregularities are found, the Municipal Corporation is mandated to take appropriate actions to rectify them and issue necessary directives to all parties involved. Non-compliance with these instructions could lead to coercive measures. The Municipal Corporation is expected to complete this process within three months from the date of the court's order.
