Mahalunge-Maan-Hinjewadi residents write to minister over Mula river pollution, water shortage

Pune, November 14, 2026: Residents of Mahalunge, Maan and Hinjewadi have written to state Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. The letter raises concern over growing pollution in the Mula river and fears of a severe water shortage in the area.

The Mahalunge Township Residents Association, in the letter dated November 12, said around 10,000 residential units in the area are already facing a water shortage. Several housing societies have also complained about poor water quality. Residents allege that, despite this, new residential projects are being allowed to draw water from the same river by installing jackwells.

According to the association, taps in several housing societies have been running yellow, foul-smelling water since the end of September. It has demanded immediate testing of the Mula river water upstream and downstream of the intake points supplying Mahalunge and the Blue Ridge township.

Residents have also asked the government to investigate the suspected discharge of untreated domestic sewage and industrial waste into the river. They have asked that the water quality reports be made public.

The letter seeks a comprehensive water balance study. It asks that the study cover water availability in the river, the approvals given to residential projects and the quantity actually drawn, current consumption and future demand. Residents have also demanded that water withdrawal permissions, the daily quantities fixed and the conditions imposed to maintain the river's minimum environmental flow be made public.

The association has asked the Water Resources Department, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to carry out a joint inspection. It has also demanded a review of new water withdrawal permissions.