The rampant disregard for the nature and the damage wrought to it is one of the highlights of India. Any spare space near a settlement leads to someone dumping garbage since there is no other space to dump it. The state governments and the local authorities are clueless or rather disinterested. It is when news reports hit the public, and there is a hue and cry, do they act. Instead of waiting for someone to set a flea in their ears, they could ensure such incidents do not repeat every time. Ironically, it is what they get paid for from the taxpayers’ money. However, for those whose own refuse finds home in the banks of rivers, it is difficult to point fingers and bring them to justice.
One of the newest finds of this genre relates to the Mutha River. The river banks have been laden with garbage of myriad types and the resultant contaminants are damaging the ecosystem and also polluting the water. In the end, it is the duty of the different authorities and officials to look into the matter and preventing such activities. However, the sad fact is that they were ignorant about the fact until a news report prompted them to look into the matter. Their idea of resolving the issue relates to sending letters of warnings to the village authorities.
The water is teeming with leachate and several other pollutants that have seeped into the water from the garbage. The ground water at the towns of Uruli Devachi and Phursungi is already facing corruption. People will soon begin falling ill, and there is a fear of epidemics too. The villages upstream are endangering the water by dumping water and burning it on the sides of the river. One relevant fact is that one of the villages responsible for this activity has a record of being an eco-friendly village and received awards to that affect too. There are at least four villages perpetrating the act, and it needs swift action.
The Pune Irrigation Circle and the Pune division of the MPCB expressed their ignorance about the activities of the villagers, and they promised to look into the matter. The irrigation department lets out water for the agricultural lands. However, the water mixed with the effluents will serve to damage the crops and cause immeasurable damage to the ecosystem. In response to the queries, the villagers remark about the lack of waste dumping grounds that make them fall into the habit of seeking the closest possible land to dump.
The villages are not just small rural settlements anymore. There are several marks of urbanization that have seeped into them. The rising numbers of urban settlements increase the amount of waste too. In order to get rid of the resultant problems, it is essential that there are no more conscious deposits. It is possible but only with the full support and involvement of the residents and the local authorities. The changes are inevitable and should come before the six years of damage changes the components for ever.