Pune: The municipal corporation has initiated a large-scale cleanup operation to remove debris dumped by private landowners along the riverbanks from Rajaram Bridge to Shivane.

This debris, amounting to thousands of truckloads, has narrowed the riverbed, impacting the residents of Ekta Nagari on Sinhagad Road. In response, the municipal administration claims to have removed approximately 200 truckloads of debris today.

The release of 35,556 cusecs of water from the Khadakwasla Dam has caused water to flood areas such as Warje, Sinhagad Road, Pulachi Wadi, Yerawada, and Khilare Vasti.

The Sinhagad Road area has been the most affected, with many households devastated. Accusations have been made against the water resources department for releasing excessive water, but it has also been revealed that the debris dumped in the riverbed has contributed to the flooding.

Private landowners dumped debris in the Mutha River between Rajaram Bridge and Shivane to create land for commercial use, with significant dumping between Rajaram Bridge and Warje Bridge.

The water release from the Khadakwasla Dam caused waterlogging in Ekta Nagari due to the debris. Municipal officials reported that the water from Sinhagad Road drains also entered the locality. To mitigate the flooding risk in Ekta Nagari and surrounding colonies, debris removal began on Monday (July 29).

The operation involves twenty-five JCBs and fifty dumpers, with around 200 dumpers of debris cleared so far, according to Zone 3 Deputy Commissioner Madhav Jagtap.

Debris dumping has also occurred along the riverbanks in Karvenagar, Shivne, and Kondhwe Dhawade. Today, the debris is being removed from the riverbed and placed on nearby private land.

The municipal corporation plans to transport the debris to a project site in Wagholi. Jagtap stated, "The immediate priority is to remove the debris from the riverbed and place it nearby before transporting it to the Wagholi quarry."

The municipal corporation will recover the removal costs from the private landowners responsible for dumping the debris and will take legal action against them, according to Commissioner Rajendra Bhosale.