Latest news with #ManishaShekatkar
Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Building Pune: PMC to enhance sewage treatment capacity to ensure clean water discharge into Mula-Mutha river
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), which is struggling to treat the sewage generated within its jurisdiction and ensure clean water is released into the Mula-Mutha River, is set to enhance the sewage treatment facilities. The initiative that is aimed at meeting the projected demand of 1,092 million litres per day (MLD) for sewage treatment by 2027 will be developed through a Rs 842 crore fund, including Rs 506 crore approved by the Centre under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme. Currently, around 92 per cent of Pune city is covered through a sewerage network that spans 2,200 kilometres, which includes six intermediate pumping stations and 10 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The cumulative treatment capacity of these plants is 567 MLD. However, the old STP at Naidu Hospital with a capacity of 90 MLD is demolished for the reconstruction of a 127 MLD plant. Hence, the effective treatment capacity is 477 MLD. This capacity will be increased by 396 MLD after the ongoing new STP projects funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are completed by 2027. 'The PMC plans to increase the capacity further with 10 MLD in the old city area, 12 MLD in the newly merged 11 villages, and 82 MLD in 23 merged villages. This will increase the sewage treatment capacity to 977 MLD by 2027 as against the estimated generation of 1,092 MLD to meet the requirement of the 70 lakh population of the city,' said Manisha Shekatkar, Chief Engineer of the PMC. Under the AMRUT scheme, the State and Central Governments are to bear 50 per cent of the expenses. With the population expected to rise to 92 lakh in 2037, the sewage treatment capacity for the city is estimated to be 1,450 MLD. By 2047, the capacity should be 1,072 MLD to cater to a population of 1.1 crores. As part of the plans under AMRUT 2.0, he said the existing STP of 130 MLD at Bhairoba, constructed in 2003, will be demolished to develop a new STP of 200 MLD capacity. The STP at Tanajiwadi will be demolished to make way for a new 26 MLD STP and enhancement of 18 MLD STP to 28 MLD STP at Bopodi. Upgrades will also be carried out at 115 MLD STP at New Naidu, 50 MLD STP at Erandwane, and 32 MLD STP at Vithalwadi. 'The objective is to ensure that the treated wastewater is able to meet the discharge parameters, extend the life of existing STPs, and improves the quality of treated wastewater for reuse and implement green initiatives by developing a compressed biogas system for large capacity STPs,' she said. Civic activist Vivek Velankar said there are new standards set for treated sewage water, which has to be maintained by the civic body. He expressed concern over the lack of capacity to treat the entire sewage generated, as the untreated water goes into the river. 'The city consumes around 1,800 MLD of water. So sewage generated will be at least 1,500 MLD, but the PMC estimate is well below the actual consumption of domestic water in the city. Moreover, the PMC is somehow approaching its estimated wastewater generation in 2027, which means some amount of untreated water will continue to be released into the river and pollute the water body. In reality, water consumption is going to increase with the rise in population. Hence, the PMC should plan for the next 20 years from now rather than for just two years,' he said. Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Pune civic body begins GRP coating of streetlight poles in slum areas
To prevent electric shocks from streetlight poles—especially during the monsoon—the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated the application of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) coating on poles located in slum settlements and other high-risk areas across the city. There are around 1.65 lakh streetlight poles under PMC limits. Of these, about 25% are located in densely populated areas, water-logging zones, and areas with high pedestrian movement—making them more vulnerable during rains. To address this, PMC has started two key measures such as replacing old electric poles with new fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) shockproof poles and applying epoxy coating on existing mild steel poles to prevent current leakage. Currently, PMC has started applying GRP coating on poles in areas like Sinhagad Road, Janta Vasahat, Ekta Nagar, Ahmednagar Road, and along the Palkhi route. Officials say the coating helps insulate the poles and reduces the risk of electric shock in wet conditions. Manisha Shekatkar, chief superintendent engineer of PMC's electrical department, said, 'We started the work last week and have set a target of coating 1,000 street poles. These poles are located in slum clusters, crowded spots, low-lying areas, and places prone to waterlogging.' Shekatkar added that ward offices have been asked to identify and send data on high-risk poles in their areas. 'We are using GRP coating. It takes over two hours to dry under sunlight. If the weather is clear, we manage to coat about 10–12 poles a day. However, due to the rain, we are facing difficulty, she said. According to civic officials, the epoxy coating acts as an insulating layer, preventing direct contact between exposed metal parts and rainwater, which often leads to short circuits and electric leakages. Along with this, PMC is also replacing old poles with safer FRP ones. 'Last year, our target was to replace 1,600 poles, out of which 1,300 have been done. This year, we will take up another 1,600 pole replacements,' she added. The civic body has formed quick response teams comprising officials from the electrical, road, building, and drainage departments to identify hazardous poles and carry out preventive maintenance. These teams are also tasked with inspecting poles for illegal electricity tapping—a common but dangerous practice in some localities. Civic activists, however, have pointed out that preventive measures such as this should have been a regular part of PMC's pre-monsoon safety drive. 'While the epoxy coating is a welcome step, it's a reactive measure. There needs to be a long-term plan to upgrade electrical infrastructure, especially in slums,' said Pramod Devkar, a local civic activist of Ahmednagar road area.
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Pune civic body snaps 79 illegal connections from road light poles
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), on Friday, launched a citywide drive to disconnect illegal electricity connections drawn from streetlight poles and disconnected as many as 79 illegal connections in a single day. The action was taken after an eight-year-old girl reportedly came in contact with a hoarding illegally connected to a PMC-maintained streetlight pole and died on June 2. The Sinhgad Road ward office topped the list with 15 illegal power connections removed, followed by Ahmednagar Road (13), Kothrud-Bavdhan (9), Kondhwa Yevalewadi (8), Warje Karve Nagar (7), Hadapsar (7), Dhole Patil Road (4), Aundh-Baner (2), Ghole road (2), Dhankawadi Sahakarnagar (2), Bhavani Peth (4), Bibvewadi (4), Wanwowrie-Ramtekadi (1) and Kasba-Vashrambaug (1). These connections are often used by roadside vendors, unauthorized dwellings, political banners—and most controversially, by illuminated publicity hoardings across the city, said officials. Manisha Shekatkar, chief superintendent engineer of PMC's electrical department, said, 'The 'I Love' hoardings put up at many traffic junctions as part of city beautification are now being checked for illegal electricity use. 'We have received several complaints that these hoardings are tapping electricity illegally from nearby street poles without any approved connection or meter,' she said. 'We are inspecting each site and will disconnect any illegal connections immediately. So far, we have not filed any police complaints, but if we find these illegal connections again, we will take police action,' she said. According to PMC, Pune has over 1.65 lakh streetlight poles, many of which are still wired using overhead cables—making them easy targets for illegal tapping. The lack of robust earthing, the absence of residual current devices (RCDs), and tampering by unauthorized users have turned these poles into potential death traps, especially during the monsoon. The recent tragedy was waiting to happen, said Sudhir Kulkarni, a civic activist. 'Even after multiple electrocution incidents in the past, PMC failed to upgrade its infrastructure or monitor illegal usage. Now, after a child's death, the administration is forced into action,' he said. Swapnil Sutar, a resident of the Sinhagad Road area, said, 'With the monsoon coming, we want the authorities not just to punish those responsible but also to make lasting changes to keep everyone safe.' 'On Sinhagad Road, many street vendors sell vegetables and food using illegal electricity connections from streetlights. PMC should carry out a combined anti-encroachment drive along with the electrical department to stop this,' he said. The crackdown will continue in the coming days, focusing on busy areas and main junctions with decorative structures, said officials.
Hindustan Times
06-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Nine killed in electrocution incidents in Pune over past year
Over the last year, according to data shared by the power department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), nine people died in electrocution incidents in the city, triggering widespread concern and public outrage. In the latest incident which occurred near Inamdar Chowk on June 2, an eight-year-old girl reportedly came in contact with a hoarding illegally connected to a PMC-maintained streetlight pole. The hoarding was allegedly linked to a political party and had an unauthorised electricity connection, according to civic officials. Manisha Shekatkar, chief, electrical department, said inspections would be completed within two days, and strict action, including disconnection and penalties, would follow in cases of violations. 'The number of illegal connections and unapproved hoardings drawing power from streetlight poles is alarming. We will not tolerate such threats to public safety,' said Shekatkar. She said they have started checking earthing, overhead wires, illegal connections, and underground cables in the city. 'PMC has laid underground cables for most streetlight poles, but some areas, especially newly merged villages and suburbs, still have overhead wires. We are regularly working to remove such overhead cables. Now, we have also started a fresh drive to act against illegal connections on streetlight poles, loose wiring, open circuits, and underground service lines,' she said. Civic activists and residents have consistently raised concerns about exposed wiring, broken electrical boxes, and poor maintenance by both PMC and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL). 'Overhead wires should be underground. They're prone to illegal tapping and pose serious risks. The city must release a detailed audit of all-electric poles and conduct pre-monsoon maintenance,' said Sudhir Kulkarni, civic activist. MSEDCL officials claim regular inspections are conducted, but no official data has been released on the number of poles or overhead lines in Pune. The recurring electrocution incidents have exposed critical gaps in coordination between civic and electricity authorities. Citizens are now demanding urgent reforms, strict accountability, and permanent solutions to prevent such avoidable tragedies. Dinesh Nale, a resident of Rasta Peth said, 'We are scared to even let our children play outside during rains. How many more lives will it take before the authorities wake up and fix these dangerous poles?' One of the senior officials of MSEDCL Pune circle said, 'We conduct routine checks, especially before the monsoon. However, in some cases, the issues arise from infrastructure maintained by the civic body. We are working on improving coordination to prevent future accidents.' Past incidents June 2025: An eight-year-old girl died in Rasta Peth after touching a streetlight pole. May 2025: A ten-year-old boy died in Warje after touching a live electric pole during heavy rain. September 2024: Two men electrocuted while on a music vehicle during a procession in Wadgaonsheri. August 2024: A schoolboy in Hadapsar and a woman near Bremen Chowk in Aundh died after stepping into electrically charged water. July 2024: Three youths died while trying to retrieve a food cart from floodwater in the Samarth police station area. June 2024: A housekeeping worker died after stepping on a live wire near Amar Tech Park, Balewadi.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Pune civic body to give streetlight poles electricity-insulating paint to avoid electrocution incidents
Pune: The civic body has decided to paint streetlight poles with electricity-insulating paints to avoid incidents of electrocution. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has finalised 202 frequent flooding spots where street poles will be repainted. "The paint was used on an experimental basis at Laxmi Road around three years ago. The pilot proved to be successful, so we are now expanding it to other areas," said Manisha Shekatkar, head of PMC's electrical department. According to civic officials, most of the locations are near the slum areas. The administration will spend around Rs2,500 per streetlight. PMC is providing fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) insulation for streetlight poles. A 3mm thick FRP coat is applied to the street poles. It comprises premium quality resin, plastic matt (450/E), hardener, cobalt, and colour pigment complete with a gel coat. PMC used the material on an experimental basis during the 2021 Ganeshotsav when the probability of accidents was high. "FRP is a non-conductive material which adds an additional layer of safety for street lights," said a senior PMC official. He said the material demands little upkeep. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo "It results in reduced ongoing operational expenses. The material's electrical insulating properties contribute to enhanced safety measures in street illumination systems," the official said. The civic body, in 2023, inspected around 1.35 lakh streetlights in the civic areas. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited conducted a similar drive meant to prevent electrocutions. PMC officials said the inspections checked erosion of poles, damaged cables as well as switches, broken lamps, and the condition of other electrical parts of streetlights.
