Farmers move Bombay High Court, say Pune draws excess water and releases untreated sewage

Farmers from rural areas around Pune say the city is drinking their water and returning poison. On this complaint, the Bombay High Court has issued notices to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Water Resources Department. The public interest litigation alleges that the city draws far more water than its limit and releases untreated sewage mixed with industrial chemicals into rivers and farm canals.

The petition has been filed by farmer Vitthal Jarad and other affected farmers from rural areas. They allege that the corporation is placing the city's needs above villagers' livelihoods. The court has asked both sides to file detailed replies before the next hearing on December 17.

According to the petition, the Water Resources Department has fixed an annual quota of 13.5 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water for Pune city. The petitioners say the city's population now exceeds 8 million and PMC's demand has gone beyond 20 TMC a year.

They claim PMC speaks of implementing a 10 per cent water cut, but the situation on the ground is different. They allege the corporation is drawing about 1,550 million litres a day (MLD) more than its limit.

The farmers recalled that in August 2017 the chief engineer of the Water Resources Department directed PMC to limit its water use to verified population figures. They allege that excess drawal continued despite later directions from the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA). This, they say, is why they had to approach the court.

The dispute is not only about the quantity of water. Under older agreements, PMC was to treat the city's sewage through the Mundhwa Jackwell project and only then release the water onward for irrigation. The petition alleges that instead, raw sewage along with industrial chemicals is being released directly into rivers and farm drains. It is stated that this foul-smelling, chemical-laden water has made a large part of fertile land saline and unfit for farming. Seasonal crops have been destroyed and small farmers have been hit hardest.

Amid growing legal pressure, PMC has taken some steps to curb water wastage. Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur has issued an order that drinking water will not be used in the construction of private buildings or at ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants. Treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) is now mandatory for such commercial use.

To enforce the order, the corporation has announced penalties. An illegal tap connection will attract a fine of Rs 5,000 and the connection will be cut immediately. Overflow from a rooftop tank will cost Rs 1,000, and leakage from a commercial water tanker Rs 10,000. Running a vehicle washing centre or a swimming pool on water-cut days such as Thursday will also draw a fine of Rs 10,000.

The case reflects a growing conflict in which expanding cities come to depend on the resources of surrounding rural areas. The farmers say their traditional irrigation rights are being taken away without fair compensation and environmental protection.

Farm organisations across Maharashtra are watching the case. The High Court's final ruling could set a precedent on municipal corporations' accountability for water, population-linked quotas and mandatory sewage treatment in the state.