On March 15, 2024, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) took strong action against Fariyas Resort in Lonavala. They found that the resort was breaking many environmental rules. The resort was dumping about 50,000 liters of dirty water every day into nearby rivers and lakes. They also emitted too much dust into the air, which was higher than allowed levels.

An inspection showed that Fariyas Resort wasn't following 73% of the environmental rules that they must obey. Their sewage treatment plant was only working at 40% efficiency, which is very low. The air cleaning systems weren't working well either, with a 65% failure rate compared to what's required. Because of this, the MPCB ordered the resort to fix these problems within 30 days.

Studies done from December 2023 to February 2024 showed that the resort's activities made local groundwater quality worse by 28%. The soil around the resort had harmful chemicals, and the pH levels were too high, which can be bad for plants and animals. The waste management practices of the resort have harmed about 2.5 hectares of nearby forest.

The MPCB fined the resort ₹25 lakhs and required them to spend ₹1.2 crores on fixing the environment. This includes building better sewage treatment plants, improving air pollution controls, and creating a proper waste sorting system. They must meet all rules by April 30, 2024, or the resort could be closed.

Local wildlife is also suffering, with a 45% drop in bird species near the resort. Tests of nearby water showed that the oxygen levels were too low for fish and other animals to live. The MPCB has set up a group to check the resort every two weeks to make sure they follow the rules.

The management of Fariyas Resort admitted their mistakes and said they'll spend ₹3.5 crores to improve the environment over the next six months. They promised to stop dumping dirty water right away, put in new air quality monitors by May 2024, and completely change their waste management system by September 2024.