Forest dept. to implement plastic ban at Sinhagad Fort from June 1
Along with issuing notices to the owners of illegal constructions at Sinhagad Fort, the forest department has now also decided to implement a plastic ban at Sinhagad Fort which is a popular tourist destination in Pune
The Pune forest department with the help of the joint forest management committee will implement a ban on plastic at Sinhagad Fort from June 1. The decision comes after a recent review meeting held on Friday, May 16, by district collector Jitendra Dudi.
Deepak Pawar, assistant conservator of forests, Pune forest division, said, “We were instructed by the district collector to implement the plastic ban from the day the meeting was held however we sought some time for the effective implementation as there are some preparations needed to be done before implementing the ban.”
Along with issuing notices to the owners of illegal constructions at Sinhagad Fort, the forest department has now also decided to implement a plastic ban at Sinhagad Fort which is a popular tourist destination in Pune. From the first week of June, tourists visiting the fort will have to pay a deposit for plastic bottles. If tourists are found throwing plastic waste anywhere while returning from the fort, punitive action will be taken against them.
A survey conducted by the district administration last month highlighted that except for Sinhagad Fort, all forts in Pune are free from encroachment. Moreover with the monsoon season approaching, the number of tourists is expected to increase at Sinhagad Fort. Therefore, the district collector held a meeting with the officers of the forest department, public works department and the archaeology department. The collector issued instructions to each department including the removal of encroachments and implementation of the ban on plastic. The forest department was given the responsibility to implement the plastic ban at Sinhagad Fort. The department was also directed to provide a strong alternative for solid waste management.
Following the instructions, the forest officials on Sunday, May 18, held a meeting with the vendors at Sinhagad Fort. A small committee was formed to keep a watch on implementation of the plastic ban and tourism management at the fort.
About this, Pawar said, “We sought a week’s time for the implementation of the plastic ban at Sinhagad Fort. The ban will be on the use of plastic bottles, carry bags and other single-use plastic products. For plastic bottles, tourists now need to deposit a particular amount (not specified yet) at the time of paying entry fees. The amount will only be returned after the tourists submit the bottle/s. Similarly, vendors will also take a deposit while selling water bottles at the fort. They will get their money back only after the tourists return the bottle/s. Our staff will take punitive action against those who throw plastic waste at the fort, but we have given equal responsibility to the vendors selling plastic bottles.”
The department is also planning to provide water bottles as souvenirs to tourists. As an alternative, the department plans to install a water tank at the fort, near the existing food stalls. “We have received all the necessary permissions for the same. However, it will take at least a month to complete the installation. After the water tank installation, we will be able to provide tap water as drinking water at Sinhagad Fort,” Pawar said.
Meanwhile, the forest department had announced a plastic ban at the fort a few years ago. The inspection of tourists’ luggage had also started while entering the fort by road. However, the ban remained on paper as the expected cooperation was not received from the food vendors at the fort. This time, the forest officials have appointed a committee of vendors for implementation. Therefore, the plastic ban initiative is likely to get a positive response.
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New mobile app for Sinhagad Fort tourism management
The forest department is working on launching a mobile app for tourism management at Sinhagad Fort. This will be a first of its kind initiative for the fort in Maharashtra. “Currently, the app is in its initial stage, we have taken a trial of the app, and we are planning to launch this app soon. If all goes well, we may be able to launch the app from June 1,” Pawar said.
Giving more details on this, the officer said, “The app will be beneficial for both tourists and forest officials. The tourists will be able to book their visit through the app. Parking facilities, traffic updates will be provided to them through the app. On the other hand, the forest officials will be informed about the emergency situations like honeybee attacks, forest fire incidents, any rescue operation needed. In case of increased tourist footfall, the official will be able to get real time tourist data and coordinate about tourist and traffic management accordingly.”
