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Pune: Activists point to encroachment, infra projects in riverbed making city unsafe
Civic activists Sarang Yadwadkar, Vivek Velankar and Pushkar Kulkarni had been raising the issue of encroachment in rivers in the city and its adverse impact on the citizens living alongside the river.
A resident of Punawale says that rivers are the heart of Pune, “yet they are choking under pollution and neglect” (File Photo)
Citing the flood situation witnessed in the city last month, civic activists have raised alarm over the safety of citizens in the future if scientific steps are not taken on an urgent basis, as the flood carrying capacity of the river has reduced by 40 per cent in the last 14 years.
Civic activists Sarang Yadwadkar, Vivek Velankar and Pushkar Kulkarni had been raising the issue of encroachment in rivers in the city and its adverse impact on the citizens living alongside the river. They together had challenged the infrastructure projects alongside and in the bed of the river which includes the ongoing Riverfront Development (RFD) Project.
“Many residential localities in Pune were inundated during the recent floods on August 20 this year and that in July last year. Few citizens were evacuated for safety. This scary situation occurred even though water released from dams was not much,” said Yadwadkar. He said while finding out the root causes, they received some shocking data from the Water Resources Department.
“It is visibly clear from that data that the flood risk to Pune City has increased by minimum 40 percent during the last 14 years,” said Yadwadkar. The state Water Resources department (WRD) has identified the blue flood line of Mula-Mutha for a flow of 1,18,000 cusecs, he said adding, “This level is also known as “Warning Level”.
At Bund Garden barrage the blue flood line is at 542.45 Metre. This means, flow of 1,18,000 cusecs should pass at Bund Garden without crossing this level. The situation is quite grave as per the data provided by WRD as on July 25 last year at 8 am, the flow at Bund Garden was 69,111 cusecs. flowing at the level of 542.60 Metre. The same evening, the flow of 88,888 cusecs reached the level of 543.40 metres.”
“This year on August 20, the flow of 71,408 cusecs. attained the level of 542.70 metres. In short, flood level identified for 1,18,000 cusecs is already crossed by its 58 percent flow and this is happening consistently. This clearly means that the flood carrying capacity of the river is eroded by minimum 40 percent. This is a loud and clear warning alarm.” said Yadwadkar.
Velankar said the Pune civic body is largely responsible for this situation as they have failed to check encroachment in riverbeds and also ignored the impact of development projects in and around the river. Also, the TERI Report highlights that there will be a 37.5 percent rise in annual rainfall in Pune with frequent events of cloud bursts, he said, ” As of now the upstream dams on Mutha River are full up to 99 percent.
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Almost the entire September month is ahead of us. In case it rains heavily in the catchment areas of the dams and large discharges of water are released from the dams, the situation in Pune will be extremely critical.” Kulkarni said that till date this has been brought before the concerned authorities many times but the politicians and bureaucrats are not at all serious about it.
“Unfortunately, the common man has been suffering continuously. To reinstate the original flood carrying capacity of the rivers, if the political leadership and the administration does not take scientific and firm steps urgently, the safety of the Pune citizens will be left at the mercy of God,” he said.
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