River bed plan — Greens team up to move court

PUNE, APRIL 1: Taking strong objection to Pune Municipal Corporation's decision to construct roads and parking lots in the river bed, vari...

PUNE, APRIL 1: Taking strong objection to Pune Municipal Corporation’s decision to construct roads and parking lots in the river bed, various environmental organisations in the city plan to move court if the civic body did not give up its plan.

Environmentalists argued that Mutha river was the only corridor of clean and pure air in the city and any permanent construction in the bed would destroy it. Vijay Paranjape of Econet and Sujit Patwardhan of Parisar told media persons on Saturday that they would first try to convince the civic administration and corporators to stop the work in the river bed.

They, however, warned that they would have no option but to move court over the issue since the civic body had violated various legal provisions. They alleged that the civic administration had not obtained any permission from the revenue department, Central River Board and the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC). Paranjape and Patwardhan said the land in river bed was allowed to be used only for agricultural purposes as per the provisions of Revenue Act. They maintained that the river bed could not be used for constructing roads and parking lots.

Story continues below this ad

They said the municipal body had also violated various provisions of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act (MRTPA) since the roads in river bed were not shown in the development plan of the city. They claimed that the civic administration, under Section 22 of the MRTPA, was expected to invite suggestions and objections from the citizens before making any major changes in the DP. They complained that the civic administration had followed the procedure as required by the law.

Environmentalists made it clear that they were not opposed to river beautification plan, but were against roads and parking lots in the river bed. Paranjape and Patwardhan said the civic administration excluded roads and parking lots from river beautification plan when they opposed the concept. They wondered how the roads and parking lots in the river bed could be excluded from the river beautification plan.

They said any permanent construction in the river bed was bound to increase the flood-level, which might prove dangerous for the city during the monsoon. They said roads and parking lots would also encourage commercial activities like handcarts carrying eatables which would further pollute the river water.

They also did not agree with civic body’s argument that two proposed roads would bring down traffic congestion on major roads in the city. They claimed that the new roads would encourage people to bring their vehicles on the road, adding to the traffic problem.

Insight

Story continues below this ad

The civic administration has finally assured the irrigation department they would maintain the existing ground level in the river bed so that flood level would not increase. The issue was discussed at a joint meeting of the municipal corporation and the irrigation department today when it was decided that the existing ground level in the river bed would not be disturbed even at two proposed parking lots and roads.

The administration has also agreed to irrigation department’s insistence to obtain a “no-objection-certificate” from them before undertaking any work in the river bed.