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Citizens hold protest against Pavana River rejuvenation project
The move comes just days after the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) secured environmental clearance for its ambitious ₹1,500-crore Pavana river rejuvenation project.
Pune: Around 80 citizens, including local youth and residents, gathered at Akurdi on Sunday to express their disapproval of the Pavana River rejuvenation project. Through street plays, songs, and creative placards, the protest highlighted the urgent need to protect the river’s natural ecosystem.
The move comes just days after the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) secured environmental clearance for its ambitious ₹1,500-crore Pavana river rejuvenation project.
The 24.4-km-long project includes riverbank embankments and construction works, and citizens are raising serious concerns about the potential damage to biodiversity and the natural environment.
“This is not a river cleaning project. Nearly 80% of the budget is allocated for construction activities such as retaining walls, walkways, and beautification,” said one of the protestors.
Environmentalists and locals argue that such infrastructure could destroy the river’s natural banks, which are home to native birds, reptiles, turtles, and trees.
Residents are also worried about losing parts of the region’s cultural and ecological heritage. “The Pavana River is deeply connected to Chinchwad’s history and early settlements. Any attempt to modify its course or surroundings without proper ecological study risks long-term damage,” said another participant.
Citizens say that rejuvenation must prioritise biodiversity, native vegetation preservation, and pollution control over beautification and jogging tracks.
