What Punekars want from their MLA: Protect tekdis, environment, improve public transport

The two critical areas where political will and action is needed are adequate water and efficient public transport, the manifesto states, adding, “Our MLA should work for the conservation of our tekdis as natural heritage sites. In April last year, thousands of Punekars walked through the streets for the preservation of tekdis, showing the strong emotional connect they have with the identity of our city. We continue to campaign for protection and preservation of our natural reserves.”

“Our representative should work for the removal of the three projects from the Development Plan of Pune city. They are Bal Bharati-Paud Phata Road, HCMTR and twin tunnels from Panchavati-Sutardhara and Panchavati-Gokhalenagar, which will permanently destroy Vetal tekdi. Improving PMPML services must be put on high priority,” it further said.

The hill tops and hill slopes must be protected as ‘groundwater recharge sanctuaries’, the streams need to be revived and revitalised by removing encroachments, desilting and cleaning. The man-made forests on our hills provide important benefits like preservation of precious biodiversity, improvement of air quality, carbon sequestration, increase in groundwater recharge, mitigation of the ‘heat island’ effect and provision of green space for physical exercise and fostering psychological well-being, it said.

Our representative must ensure sufficient funds for Metro expansion and to strengthen PMPML fleet, Sumita Kale of the samiti said.