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PCMC get environmental clearance for Indrayani, Mula river rejuvenation project
Earlier, the civic body submitted a proposal to rejuvenate the Pavana, Mula and Indrayani rivers. However, SEIAA has denied permission for the project and had asked the civic body to resubmit the proposal after getting permission from the Central Water and Power Research Station
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has received environmental clearance for the River Rejuvenation Project (RRP) of Indrayani and Mula Rivers from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
Earlier, the civic body submitted a proposal to rejuvenate the Pavana, Mula and Indrayani rivers. However, SEIAA has denied permission for the project and had asked the civic body to resubmit the proposal after getting permission from the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS). After the proposal was resubmitted, SEIAA gave environmental clearance for the project to be implemented on the Indrayani River and augmented environmental clearance for the Mula river project.
As per PCMC, the total cost of Indrayani RRP is ₹ 979 crore out of which, PCMC will spend ₹ 526 crore, PMRDA will spend ₹ 410 crore and Alandi Municipal Council will spend ₹ 43 crore. The PCMC applied for the AMRUT scheme which has been approved and the civic body will receive funds from the government under the scheme. The project cost for Mula RRP is ₹ 320 crore, said the officials.
Sanjay Kulkarni, city engineer and head of the PCMC environment department, said, “The civic body has made a budget provision of ₹ 200 crore for the Indrayani RRP. The tenders will be soon floated for the project and the work will be started. Besides, the tender for Mula RRP has been already floated and the work order for Mula River will be issued next week.”
According to officials, green activists and NGOs had opposed the RRP project earlier and approached NGT due to which the work order was not issued. The PCMC later revised the original plan after which the augmented environmental clearance was given by the government.
As per the environmental clearance given by SEIAA the civic body has undertaken retaining and integrating small and large non-invasive trees. As many as 4000 small invasive trees will be removed and the transplantation of 3300 non-invasive trees within the project boundary and in the gardens of Moshi areas will be carried out. The municipal corporation has agreed to plant an additional 26,000 trees of native species within the proposed boundary. The trees have to be maintained for five years from plantation/transplantation and submit a quarterly compliance report to the concerned authority.
