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Journalism of Courage
To protect the green hills of the city, Former Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan has urged the Pune civic body to submit the state government that the area under Bio Diversity Park (BDP) and hill top hill slope (HTHS) must be protected for the sustainable and healthy growth of Pune which is already growing beyond its seams and should be treated as non-negotiable.
Chavan, who was also city mayor and continuously fighting for maintaining the green cover of the city intact, has approached the civic administration as the state government has constituted a study group for considering the demand of land owners to allow limited development on the hills of Pune.
She said that special and urgent efforts must be taken to compensate landowners either monetarily or through Green Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) provisions, or any other innovative ideas that may be developed and implemented. “The notification regarding satellite images and provisions regarding the duty of designated officers to restrict and take action on illegal constructions should be strictly implemented in BDP and HTHS areas. The demand of citizens to safeguard the hills as no-development areas must be honoured,” said Chavan.
The municipal corporation will display its commitment to sustainable development, environmental conservation and climate resilience, she said adding, “I trust that the civic body will rise to the occasion and represent the collective voice of Punekars in favour of preserving the BDP and HTHS areas for present and future generations.”
Considering that Pune is hugely deficit in open areas based on its population, preserving such opens is non-negotiable. The PMC, as the custodian of the city’s development and guardian of citizens’ aspirations, must take a principled and uncompromising stand in protecting the vital ecological assets, said Chavan.
The former mayor also urged the civic administration to bring a check on real estate development considering lack of civic facilities to handle the load. “Given the infrastructure deficits, I request you to exercise discretion to decline additional FSI permissions under UDCPR until comprehensive infrastructure augmentation is completed”, she urged municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.
Chavan said the PMC should make strong representations to the State Government highlighting how the excessive Floor Space Index (FSI) provisions under Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) will render Pune unlivable and dysfunctional, urging them to revisit and reconsider these provisions for Pune.
Congress leader Gopal Tiwari also raised objection to the decision to give four FSI to buildings within 500 meters from metro rail. “The sanctioning of additional FSI to buildings without considering the basic civic facilities for the infrastructure is completely wrong. The city is already facing a severe traffic problem and allowing taller buildings means more vehicles on city roads as well as the need for an increase in civic facilities like water and drainage, which will create problems,” he said.
