Pune, February 12 The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has registered a police case against a developer for allegedly dumping construction debris into the Mutha riverbed in Shivajinagar, officials said on Thursday.
The debris reportedly originated from a slum rehabilitation project in the Tofkhana area, being executed by the developer, they added.
The action comes after photographs and videos surfaced on social media showing rubble and soil being tipped into the flowing river near Tilak Bridge and Amruteshwar Temple. This triggered outrage among netizens.
PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the civic body has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against illegal dumping.
"Throwing construction waste into the riverbed or any public place is a serious offence. Criminal cases have been ordered against those responsible. In addition to registering an offence with the police against the project, a stop-work notice has been issued to the project, and a fine of Rs 10 lakh has been levied," Ram said.
Local residents alleged that trucks were seen unloading soil, stones, and cement waste directly into the river channel, raising concerns about obstruction to water flow and possible flooding during the monsoon. Environmental activists said such activities defeat the purpose of the city's Riverfront Development project.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur said special teams have been deployed to trace the source of the debris and identify the projects involved.
"Stop-work notices are being issued wherever violations are detected. Vehicles used for dumping will be seized, and repeat offenders will face cancellation of licenses and blacklisting," she said.
PMC officials said, despite the availability of a construction and demolition waste processing facility at Wagholi, some contractors avoid using it to cut transportation costs.
The civic body has decided to step up monitoring through CCTV surveillance and periodic inspections, while fixing accountability at the level of engineers and site supervisors, officials added.