Irrigation dept fires first salvo on PMC’s riverfront development project
The state irrigation department has issued a letter to PMC warning the civic body about making changes to the city’s rivers against the background of the planned riverfront development project
PUNE The state irrigation department has issued a letter to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) warning the civic body about making changes to the city’s rivers against the background of the planned riverfront development project.
The term “future floods” figures significantly in the letter.
Civic activists have moved the the irrigation department raising various issues with the planned river developement.
In the letter, dated October 28, the irrigation department say: “In the name of riverfront development, don’t dump materials into the river. While executing project, ensure that there would be no hurdless for water flow. Don’t divert the flow of the river.”
Civic activists Sarang Yadwadkar, Vivek Velankar, and Vijay Kumbhar, among others have objected to the river plan.
Yadwadkar said, “PMC general body approved this Rs4,727 crore project, but elected members have discussed it at the general body meeting. The project is going to impact the whole city.”
Velankar said, “Pune is already a flood-affected city. While executing such projects, civic administration and elected members should address the citizens’ objections. We are asking various questions, but administration claims that the consultant will answer the doubts. Consultant will fly away after getting the fees, but citizens will suffer. If the project is owned by PMC, administration must answer all the questions raised by activist and citizens.”
Yadwadkar said that the National Green Tribunal has already been moved on objections to this project.