How a unique fast is underway in Pune to save the Mula-Mutha river

Every day of the week, at least one person fasts. It is not mandatory for the same person to observe weekly fasts, though many do just that. Some people, who are ill, have fasted for a day as well. The person who is fasting does not eat anything for 24 hours, though they can drink water, nimbu paani or ORS. The person engaged in the fast sends an email to officials, from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to the Prime Minister’s Office, on the day of fast to draw attention to their concern about the river.

“The movement was triggered by a PMC project that is underway in the city called the Pune Riverfront Development (RFD). This involves ‘developing’ the banks of the Mula-Mutha. Pune is very fortunate to have some aware citizens and devoted experts on subjects like biodiversity and groundwater, among others. They all believe that the project is unscientific and not based on an understanding of the environment or the importance of riparian ecosystems for the sustenance of flora and fauna,” says Khot, 60.

Turbulent waters

The RFD project involves developing 22.2 km of the Mula river, 10.4 km of the Mutha river and 11.8 km of the Mula-Mutha river — which totals a 44 km stretch. The project is spread over a number of stretches and work has begun on a couple of these.

According to the PMC website, the plans in the project include protecting “low-lying areas along the river from flooding by building a variety of well-modulated embankments along the banks of Pune’s rivers” and reducing “the impact of indiscriminately built obstructions such as bridges, causeways, weirs, check dams etc. on the flow of water in Pune’s rivers by removing, streamlining, remodelling, or rebuilding them”. There are also plans to “create a public realm along the river”. This means building embankments that will “enable the creation of a continuous public realm along both banks of Pune’s rivers”. “Having such a continuous public realm will ensure that, unlike today, people will be able to move along the length of the river,” says an official statement from the PMC.

Fearing the RFD will cause irreversible harm to the river ecosystem and encourage real-estate development at the cost of the environment, activists have been protesting on ground and in the court. In August 2023, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the PMC not to fell any tree for RFD till the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) allowed the amendment in Environment Clearance for the project proposed by the civic body. In January 2024, the SEIAA deferred issuing Environment Clearance while asking the civic body to complete the compliance with the conditions laid by it. In November 2023, PMC was directed by the SEIAA to stop construction at a site near Bund Garden that included three river stretches.

Fasting for fast action

The chain fasting in Pune is a way to supplement these means of protest. The participants of the fasts are connected on different forums, organisations and groups and united under the banner of Pune River Revival. “The more the activists fought, the more the subject started becoming clear to me and I realised what we are up against. Some of the horrifying things I have realised is that the RFD brings a range of people, from realtors to authorities, together,” says Khot, adding that many such projects are planned across the country. He went through the process of sending emails to various government offices, including the Chief Minister’s, and got auto-generated responses and then “the emails started bouncing”. “Now, I am happy to be part of this movement and at least spread the word around to as many people as I can,” Khot said.

When the fast marked its second anniversary, the group observed it with a river festival as well as an unbroken eight-day fast by Santosh Lalwani, 53. Again, in March, as Sonam Wangchuk fasted for the protection of Ladakh’s fragile ecology and its indigenous tribal cultures, Lalwani fasted in solidarity. “Between sunrise and sunset, I had warm water during the day. On all days, we continued with our regular work. Initially, the person who is fasting used to communicate everyday to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Chief Minister’s Office and the Environment Minister’s office, among others, that we have fasted for the river. The goal is genuine and our aim is to protect the river. Civilisations come up around rivers and we must protect them,” said Lalwani.

How long will the fast continue? Everybody hopes the threat to the river ends soon and the chain fasting is no longer needed as a protest.