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CM calls meeting to discuss Pune’s biodiversity park zone
The move comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Kothrud legislator, Medha Kulkarni, met the chief minister on Monday and raised various issues over the BDP zone
PUNE: Chief minister Eknath Shinde has called a meeting to discuss the city’s biodiversity park (BDP) zone and the rampant illegal constructions underway in these areas. The move comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Kothrud legislator, Medha Kulkarni, met the chief minister on Monday and raised various issues over the BDP zone.
Kulkarni said, “Chief minister Shinde heard the issue carefully and immediately instructed the administration to call a meeting over the BDP zone. The CM has also given written instructions to call a meeting on this issue to solve it permanently.”
While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reserved land on the hills in 23 merged villages under the BDP zone and the Maharashtra government, too, has approved the same, the administration has not been able to acquire the reserved land due to compensation-related issues, according to Kulkarni. Four years have passed since the state government decided to preserve the hills under the BDP zone however the PMC’s inability to acquire the reserved land has resulted in rampant illegal development in areas which are otherwise classified as ‘no development’. As per civic estimates, at least 10% of the total land has been illegally encroached upon by unauthorised constructions. “Even the PMC administration is not doing anything about it,” Kulkarni said.
On August 18, 2018, the state government had decided to protect the hills in 23 merged villages by giving eight per cent transfer of development rights (TDR) as compensation to landowners for acquiring 773 hectares of land falling under the BDP zone. As the chief minister holds additional charge of the urban development ministry, BDP issues come under his jurisdiction. Besides, having served as urban development minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the CM is familiar with the issue.
