Pawan Kalyan orders Godavari pollution audit, cites 55 MLD daily sewage
Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan personally boarded a boat at dawn to inspect Godavari River pollution near Rajamahendravaram — and found 55 MLD of raw sewage flowing in daily. With the Godavari Pushkarams a year away and only ₹95 crore of a ₹416 crore NRCP outlay cleared, the clock is ticking on one of India’s most sacred river corridors.
Key Takeaways
Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan conducted a personal boat inspection of Godavari River pollution near Rajamahendravaram on 26 May 2025 .
Approximately 55 MLD of sewage flows into the Godavari daily, according to officials.
Administrative approval secured for ₹95 crore of ₹416 crore allocated under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) .
Funds directed toward new sewage treatment plants with modern technology.
Effluents from Andhra Paper Mills also flagged; State Pollution Control Board chairman sought for details.
The Godavari Pushkarams next year are to be held under the theme of a pollution-free river, setting a firm remediation deadline.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday, 26 May 2025, directed district officials to carry out a full audit of all pollutants and effluents entering the Godavari River, and to review existing waste management protocols, following a personal inspection of pollution-affected stretches near Rajamahendravaram in East Godavari district.
The River Inspection
Pawan Kalyan, who also holds the environment portfolio in the coalition government, began his site visit at 6 am, embarking on a boat journey from Rajamahendravaram Pushkar Ghat to Kotilingala Ghat to personally assess the extent of river pollution. At Chintalamma Ghat, he inspected the point where sewage from Rajamahendravaram drains into the Godavari through the Nalla Channel, observing the waste segregation process and speaking directly with on-site staff.
Key Findings and Directives
Officials briefed the Deputy CM on the scale of the problem. Approximately 55 MLD (Million Litres Per Day) of sewage reportedly flows into the Godavari daily. Pawan Kalyan stressed that treatment must be conducted in a scientifically sound manner. “We are receiving complaints that the river water is becoming contaminated due to the direct discharge of untreated sewage into the Godavari. We must focus our attention on this issue,” he said.
He directed East Godavari district officials to submit a detailed report outlining steps taken so far and a concrete action plan for works to be undertaken going forward.
NRCP Funds and New Treatment Plants
Pawan Kalyan noted that administrative approval has been secured for ₹95 crore out of the ₹416 crore allocated under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) through the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. He directed that these funds be deployed to build new sewage treatment plants equipped with modern technology. “We must take full responsibility to ensure that only completely treated water — free of any sewage — is discharged into the Godavari,” he said.
Andhra Paper Mills Effluents Under Scrutiny
The Deputy CM also raised concerns about the discharge of polluted effluents from Andhra Paper Mills into the Godavari, seeking detailed information from Krishnaiah, Chairman of the State Pollution Control Board. He visited the treatment plant site and reviewed waste disposal methods currently in use.
Pushkarams Deadline Adds Urgency
The inspection carries added political and religious weight: the coalition government has committed to organising the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams, scheduled for next year, under the central theme of a pollution-free Godavari. Pawan Kalyan later reviewed the progress of Pushkaram-related beautification and infrastructure works at the Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation office. Ministers Nadendla Manohar and Kandula Durgesh, along with several legislators and officials, were present during the visit. With a hard deadline set by the Pushkarams calendar, the pace of remediation work is expected to accelerate in the months ahead.
Point of View
But the numbers tell a harder story: only ₹95 crore of a ₹416 crore NRCP allocation has received administrative clearance, and 55 MLD of untreated sewage flows into the Godavari every single day. The Pushkarams deadline next year creates political pressure to show visible results, which risks prioritising riverbank beautification over the slower, unglamorous work of building and commissioning treatment infrastructure. Andhra Pradesh has a pattern of river-cleaning announcements that stall at the funding-release stage; the real test will be whether the ₹95 crore clears the ground-level bottlenecks and whether the remaining ₹321 crore follows before the pilgrims arrive.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Pawan Kalyan inspect the Godavari River?
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan inspected pollution-affected stretches of the Godavari River near Rajamahendravaram on 26 May 2025 to personally assess the scale of sewage and effluent discharge. He also holds the state environment portfolio and is overseeing preparations for the Godavari Pushkarams next year, which the government has pledged to hold under a pollution-free theme.
How much sewage enters the Godavari River daily?
According to officials who briefed Pawan Kalyan during the inspection, approximately 55 MLD (Million Litres Per Day) of sewage flows into the Godavari River daily. The Deputy CM directed that this sewage must be treated in a scientifically sound manner before any discharge.
What funds are available to clean up the Godavari River?
A total of ₹416 crore has been allocated under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) through the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. Of this, administrative approval has been secured for ₹95 crore, which Pawan Kalyan directed should be used to construct new sewage treatment plants with modern technology.
What is the role of Andhra Paper Mills in the Godavari pollution?
Pawan Kalyan raised concerns about polluted effluents being discharged from Andhra Paper Mills into the Godavari River. He sought detailed information on the matter from Krishnaiah, the Chairman of the State Pollution Control Board, during his site visit.
What are the Godavari Pushkarams and why do they matter here?
The Godavari Pushkarams is a major Hindu pilgrimage festival held along the Godavari River, scheduled for next year. The Andhra Pradesh coalition government has committed to organising the event under the central theme of a pollution-free Godavari, making the river cleanup a political and religious priority with a firm deadline.
