MPCB issues show-cause notice to CSMC, asks why it should not be prosecuted

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued a show cause notice to the executive engineer of CSMC's water and sanitation department, citing a series of sewage treatment plant-related violations by the civic body.The notice seeks an explanation as to why the executive engineer should not be prosecuted under relevant sections of the Pollution Control Act.The notice, issued by MPCB's regional officer Manish Holkar on September 27, said that Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) must explain its specific actions or face stringent consequences.The show-cause notice asked why the corporation should not be prosecuted under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, for failing to comply with environmental norms, particularly at Nakshatrawadi, Zalta, and Padegaon STPs. It further questioned CSMC asn to why the Rs 3.1 crore bank guarantee should not be recovered from the corporation, either as land revenue or through other means due to its inability to meet pollution control requirements.The show-cause notice also asked why the corporation should not be directed to open a special escrow account for the amount sanctioned by the Urban Development Department (UDD), given that no significant progress has been made on the sanctioned work. The notice further asked why the responsible officials should not be held personally accountable for failing to take effective measures to comply with the approved work plans and environmental safeguards."Why should the corporation not be required to submit a concrete, time-bound plan with a specific timeline and monthly progress reports to ensure future compliance with environmental standards? Why should the corporation's consent to operate, valid until February 28, 2026, not be revoked in light of repeated violations and failure to follow through on previously issued directives?", the notice stated.The notice comes after inspections revealed the municipal corporation's failure to install necessary pollution control devices, such as a tertiary treatment system and flow meters at STP outlets. The show cause notice stated that samples collected in early 2024 showed that critical parameters like suspended solids, biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) had exceeded permissible limits, posing a risk to local water bodies.Despite financial sanctions from the Urban Development Department (UDD) totalling over Rs 421 crore in March 2024, the corporation is yet to take steps to implement the work outlined in the orders, stated the notice. In its show-cause notice, the MPCB stressed negligence of the corporation in preventing and controlling water pollution.The executive engineer has been given a 15-day window to submit a detailed response, including corrective measures, failing which the board has warned strict punitive action.The civic authorities could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts.