Locals take to preserving origins of rivers in Pune
Shetbale said group members Ajay and Sanjay Lanke had footed the entire bill to construct the tank and the gomukh.
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REsidents of Pimpri-Chinchwad have undertaken a noble initiative to save the points of origins of rivers in Pune. As part of this drive on Sunday, a group of people traveled to Khandala for the dedication ceremony of gomukh (cow head-shaped structure) which they have built to protect the origin of Pavana river.
A joint effort of many NGOs like Naam Foundation, Pimpri Chinchwad Citizens Forum (PCCF) and various other individuals, the project has seen the construction of a small tank (kund) and the installation of a cow’s head at the point of origin of Pavana. Dhananjay Shetbale, a member of the PCCF, said the initiative is to reclaim and preserve the origins of the rivers in Pune. “Points of origins of all major rivers like the Ganga, Godavari start from such a structure. We wanted to reaffirm the sacredness of the rivers in Pune too,” he said. Environmentalist Dr Shrikant Ingalhalikar has also joined the project, having already installed gomukhs at the origins of Moshe and Ambhi river.
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Shetbale said group members Ajay and Sanjay Lanke had footed the entire bill to construct the tank and the gomukh. Ingalhalikar had already got six such gomukhs made which would be installed at the origins of six rivers in the district. Many NGOS, corporates, students have joined the project which will also raise awareness about the rivers.
“Anthropogenic activities have started taking a toll on the origins and the catchment areas of the rivers. Excavation for buildings have posed a threat to these points. Through our activities we want to save these points and aware people on the need to do so,” he said. Post Pavana, the group hopes to take up a similar works for the point of origin of Indrayani.
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