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Developer booked for dumping debris into Mutha river
Pune Municipal Corporation on Thursday imposed ₹10 lakh fine on private developer and issued stop-work notice at the site from where the debris originated
PUNE: Facing sharp criticism over debris being dumped in the Mutha riverbed, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Thursday imposed a ₹10 lakh fine on a private developer, issued a stop-work notice at the site from where the debris originated, and lodged a police complaint against those responsible.
The debris was dumped barely 200 feet from the PMC headquarters, triggering public outrage. After the issue was highlighted by the media, the civic administration swung into action.
Naval Kishore Ram, municipal commissioner, said the administration acted immediately after learning about the dumping. “I instructed officials to promptly file a police complaint and trace the source of the debris,” he said.
According to Ram, the debris was traced to a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project being developed by the private developer Akansha Developers in the Shivajinagar Tofkhana area. “We have imposed a ₹10 lakh fine, sealed the property, issued a stop-work order, and registered a police case against the developer and other concerned persons,” he said.
A notice has been issued to Nihal Shaikh of the firm.
Pune mayor Manjusha Nagpure directed the administration to take strict action, saying it should serve as a deterrent against future instances of debris dumping in riverbeds.
Senior officials said the commissioner expressed strong displeasure and directed the administration to trace the source using CCTV footage. “He instructed senior officers to remain at the police station until the source was identified and a case was registered,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
The commissioner has also instructed the administration to put in place a permanent vigilance mechanism to prevent repeated dumping along the riverbed.
Meanwhile, another incident of garbage dumping was reported in the riverbed on Thursday. The PMC has asked vigilance teams to conduct continuous patrols along the river and take strict action in such incidents.
