PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has filed a reply with state water resource department to the concerns expressed by city-based activists and also countered the claims made by them about proposed riverfront project, which is currently facing opposition even after PM Modi launched it on March 6.
On Saturday, city environmentalists once again raised their concerns over ₹2,000 crore project. In a public meeting organised by the Indian Concrete Institute (ICI) Pune Centre, three environmentalists said that the project DPR does not mention anything about the hydrology or the long term environmental impact assessment which the project would cause to the city. Dr Himanshu Kulkarni, hydro-geologist, advisor to Central govt on ground water said, “The project does not consider groundwater and also the 5-6 aquifers in Pune or the springs and the wetlands. The project DPR also does not mention free catchment areas which would increase the inflow of water to the river, he said.
According to Dr. Gurudas Nulkar, head at Symbiosis Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability said that the project has always perceived to be like the Sabarmati riverfront development project which is very different because the rainfall at Sabarmati river and Mula-Mutha river are different. “The extreme climatic events are not at all considered. The pollution levels at Ujani river located in Solapur is because of the untreated sewage water released in the Mula-Mutha which is in concentrated forms in Solapur at the downstream and so we have to include them in our fight as well,” Nulkar said.
The project costs about ₹2,619 crore and covers about 44 km of the Mula-Mutha river stretch passing through Pune. The project requires about 768 hectares. Although the project has all the required clearances from the state and central agencies, the project would be reviewed once again after city environmentalists once again raised the issue of faulty planning.
{{/usCountry}}The project costs about ₹2,619 crore and covers about 44 km of the Mula-Mutha river stretch passing through Pune. The project requires about 768 hectares. Although the project has all the required clearances from the state and central agencies, the project would be reviewed once again after city environmentalists once again raised the issue of faulty planning.
{{/usCountry}}Sarag Yadwadkar, city environmentalist who has been raising voice against the project since the beginning said, “The CWPRS has replied to us that they have not cleared the project and irrigation department as well has said that they have not replied as well. The SEIAC has given environmental clearance which is also wrong.”
However, Mangesh Dighe, environmental officer said, “We have all the necessary clearances and they are out in the public domain. We have also got environmental clearance from the SEIAC.”
PMC chief engineer Shrinivas Bonala said, “We have drafted a reply and sent it to the civic commissioner for his approval which would then be sent to the irrigation department. The reply was drafted last week and since it involved multiple departments we have to get clearance for the reply from all the concerned departments.”