The ESR, which will be tabled before the general body (GB) meeting, states: “The Mula, Mutha rivers stand in class IV category rivers, according to the central pollution control board. Human interference, water from nullahs and untreated sewage water are the main reasons for river pollution. Also, the residential waste water which flows from nullahs and small-scale industry waste water flowing in river is major cause for concern” states the ESR.

The oxygen in the water at Khadakwasla dam was found to be 5.98 mili gram/litre, which turns to zero when the water reaches the city. The water from the Mula and Mutha rivers can be used for agriculture and industrial processing. Water from Katraj and Pashan lakes fall in the class II category and can be used for drinking purposes, after purification, the report states.

Wastewater quality indicators, such as the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (the laboratory tests to determine the wastewater effect upon fish and aquatic plant life) in Mula and Mutha are also rising.

“The rising levels of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) and Respirable Particulate Matter (RSPM) in the air is an indicator of the declining air quality. The rising vehicular movement in the city is a major reason for the increasing SPM and RSPM,” states the ESR, adding that alarming rise of particulate matter (PM 10) is also cause for concern.

The survey conducted by the PMC has also revealed that sound levels in city are also on the rise. The maximum sound level was found at Mandai (109.86 decibels) while Khadakwasla recorded the lowest sound level (43. 08 decibles).

“General sound levels in the city were found much higher as were the levels during festivals like Diwali, Dahi-Handi, Ganesh festival and Navratri,” the report states.

The ESR has recommended that a 100-metre area around hospitals and educational institutes be declared a silent zone’ and the implementation of the concerned rule should be observed strictly. The ESR has also appealed to citizens to establish pressure groups to put pressure on the implementing agencies to curb rising sound pollution.

Aditya Marathe, resident of Kondhwa, did a blog post on pollution levels in his area and took comparison shots at different times of the year.

Here are two photographs, of the same part of the city that is very close to where I stay. One of the pics is taken in August, in the middle of monsoon. The other pic is taken in March, in the middle of spring.

This is suspended particulate matter, or simply smoke! That comes out of the hundreds of thousands of vehicles that ply all day on the streets of Pune. Especially those who use bad fuel, or have not got their catalytic converters corrected, or those that have a fake PUC certificate! Would you send your kid outside in this atmosphere? How many years will your kid survive healthy before his lungs fall prey to the blackness your car has emitted?

Here are just a few tips for the citizens and the corporation to make this place a better place to live… not just for you but for your child, and your child’s child…

• Rectify the catalytic converters in your vehicle, especially old vehicles.
• If your vehicle emits black or grey smoke, treat it as an alarm with utmost priority.
• Plant trees. Have plants in your home and society.
• Avoid the use of vehicles whenever possible.
• Avoid driving a car if the only person in the car is you.
• Start car pooling.

The post continues still further. You can read it at his blog.

School children have done it though. Following is a press coverage from The Times of India, Pune edition.

TOI/PUNE/19th Feb ‘09: In a bid to spread environmental awareness among students and citizens, 20 schools in Pimpri-Chinchwad will soon be engaged in environment monitoring. The schools will also monitor and make observations about weather on a regular basis.

The decision to involve schools in environmental awareness comes after resolutions were taken at the science congress which was organised last week by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Khagol Vishwa (an organisation for amateur astronomers) the Rotary Club and SNBP school. The theme of the event was ideal city environment’, and the organisers decided to undertake activities which would help create awareness about environment protection and weather changes.

According to Mayuresh Prabhune of Khagol Vishwa, the schools will monitor pollution of the Pavana river and undertake activities to stop pollution with the help of the municipal corporation and other social groups.

In order to monitor environmental pollution, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has two monitoring stations, one in Pimpri-Chinchwad’s industrial area and the second in the residential area. Prabhune said that the MPCB would be requested to start more such centres.

The schools will also monitor weather conditions with the help of the India Meteorological Society. At present, the municipal corporation itself monitors the maximum and minimum temperatures and the rainfall. There is also a plan to form a science club which will undertake various activities. Information about the environment and the weather conditions will be collected and analysed, Prabhune said.

The science congress received an overwhelming response from students and citizens alike. Exhibitions, and lectures by eminent experts were organised during the four-day event.

[source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Pune/20-schools-to-take-up-environment-monitoring/articleshow/4152222.cms]

Trees on Varsity Campus Saved from Axe:

On another note, for the campus makeover of University of Pune, the road widening planhas been withdrawn to save trees being axed.

Read the complete coverage here.