Citizens start digital protest against illegal dumping along Pavana River

Hundreds of citizens have started sending emails to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) commissioner and senior officials in the Environment and Water Resources departments, demanding immediate removal of the illegal fill and strict action against violators.

Pune: With no decisive action taken against illegal dumping and landfilling along the Pavana River near the Kalewadi-Chinchwad link road, residents of Chinchwad have launched an unusual digital protest — ‘Email Andolan’. Hundreds of citizens have started sending emails to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) commissioner and senior officials in the Environment and Water Resources departments, demanding immediate removal of the illegal fill and strict action against violators, said civic officials.

TO GO WITH 'SRI LANKA-IT-TELECOM-BROADBAND' An Internet surfer uses his mobile phone at a shopping mall in Colombo 15 September 2007. Home to some 1.5 billion people, South Asia is paying a high price to access the Internet as service providers have been slow to deliver cheaper broadband connections, analysts say. The region has embraced telephones, mobile phones and computers and India has a flourishing software and outsourcing industry, noted industry watchers at the first South Asia Broadband Congress here earlier this month. AFP PHOTO/Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) (AFP/Getty Images)

Citizens claim, despite repeated complaints and even a recent meeting with local MLA Shankar Jagtap from Chinchwad, during which the MLA reportedly instructed PCMC officials to act swiftly, the civic administration has failed to initiate any meaningful action.

Residents allege that large-scale illegal dumping in the riverbed and commercial constructions on farmlands along the riverbank are altering the natural flow and slope of Pavana, which could trigger a severe flood situation in Chinchwad in the coming years.

Yogesh Rane, a resident of Chinchwad, said that local groups have launched door-to-door campaigns and street-level awareness drives. “Many residents have voluntarily joined the movement, sharing photographs and video evidence to PCMC officials to support the claim. The digital protest will continue until firm and visible action is taken on the ground,” he said.

He also informed that ahead of the municipal corporation elections, the residents had appealed to former corporators and aspiring candidates from Prabhag 18 to support the movement. However, none of the political hopefuls have come forward publicly.

Sanjay Kulkarni, chief engineer, PCMC and head of environment department, said that PCMC recently took action against two dry-cleaning units in Walhekarwadi and registered criminal cases against their owners for releasing untreated effluents into the Pavana river. Similar action will be taken against people found illegally dumping and landfilling Pavana River. “We will issue orders to the team to look into the issue on priority and take stern action,” he added.