India, April 25 -- The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has penalised 12 housing societies for violating environmental norms by discharging untreated or partially treated sewage into nallahs and rivers, officials said on Friday.

The action followed inspections of 21 private sewage treatment plants (STPs) across the twin city between April 17 and April 22.

The inspection, carried out under municipal commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi and chief engineer (environment) Sanjay Kulkarni, found that only nine STPs were fully operational and compliant.

The remaining 12 were either partially functional or releasing untreated or partially treated sewage into drainage channels, nallahs and rivers in violation of environmental norms.

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