Citing Malin, PMC plans a study of hill slope stability in Pune

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“We wanted to take up the hill slope stability in the city soon after the Malin tragedy, but it got delayed for some or the other reason. Now, it is being initiated to ensure there is no tragedy due to landslide on city hills,” said PMC’s city engineer Prashant Waghmare.

The hill slope areas in PMC’s old limits cover approximately 1,200 hectares while the figure stands at 978 hectares in 23 of the villages later added to the civic body’s jurisdiction.

The expert agency to be appointed for the purpose would have to study documents pertaining to hill slopes, number of inhabitants in the vicinity of slopes, types of constructions, contour maps and levels of existing safety measures, Waghmare said.

He said the agency would suggest remedial measures as per site conditions and submit a safety audit of the hill slopes in the city.

Environmentalists, however, questioned the need for such a study. “PMC’s step raises suspicions over their intentions. The Malin incident took place long ago and the civic body is now undertaking the study of hill slope stability,” said civic activist Aneeta Gokhale Benninger, member of Green Pune Movement that took on the civic administration to retain the reservation of bio-diversity park on city hills.

“Malin area receives heavy rainfall while the hills in city receives one fourth of that,” she said, adding that the Malin landslide happened due to activities that destabilised the situation and the same was not true in PMC areas.

“The PMC should clarify on the plans it has for the hills in the city as the study is not required unless something is done to destabilise the hills,” Benninger said. “The PMC should consult experts in the city before going ahead with it and waste public money.”