Riverbeds and riverbanks within the city have been encroached on, and as a result, flash floods during the monsoons of 2019 resulted in 17 deaths.
Vandana Chavan, Pune’s Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from the NCP and Sarang Yadwadkar, an environmentalist, have pictorial evidence to show rampant dumping of debris along a specific Mula-Mutha estuary has created a land mass where once water flowed.
The debris poses a severe threat to Naik bet (island), Chavan states in her letter to Pune municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad, demanding that the dumping of debris be stopped immediately.
“A dedicated centre must be provided for the debris being generated in the city to be disposed off,” Chavan says.
Chavan claims a road has been constructed for trucks to pass the riverbed behind SSPMS College and Naidu hospital, thus blocking the flow of river endangering Naik bet.
“Construction debris, unused pavement blocs and road demolition debris have been dumped in the riverbed. The height of this land-mass of debris is around 25 feet,” Chavan alleges.
Yadwadkar, who is a co-signatory with Chavan on the letter and the filing with NGT, says this is not the first time this has happened in the city.
“A virtual land mass has been created in the Mula-Mutha river due to rampant dumping. The land is created due to construction debris. We have raised the issue many times, but, no concrete action has been taken so far. This land mass brings down the flowing capacity of the river,” Yadwadkar said.
{{/usCountry}}“A virtual land mass has been created in the Mula-Mutha river due to rampant dumping. The land is created due to construction debris. We have raised the issue many times, but, no concrete action has been taken so far. This land mass brings down the flowing capacity of the river,” Yadwadkar said.
{{/usCountry}}“In future this will create a major impact to the city as during the monsoon, there will be flooding and water will cross the river and entre the homes of the residents. The civic administration needs to wake up and take concrete steps,” he added.
Prashant Waghmare, PMC city engineer said, “PMC has taken a serious note of the dumping in the riverbed. We have issued notices to persons concerned. The civic body has asked them to remove debris urgently.”
Yadwadkar claimed that this is happening despite successive orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to local authorities to crack down on incidences in specific areas, given that the rampant dumping will give rise to flooding, across connected locations.
“Now, the encroachments and dumping has raised to the level that the Naik bet is in grave danger. The small island is spread over 50 acres and there are chances that whenever there is flooding, the water would over-run the island,” said Yadwadkar.
“If the PMC itself is dumping debris, then where can an activist seek justice?” Yadwadkar asked.
Be in touch with nature, says wildlife warden
“Naik bet is one of the most beautiful places in Pune that attracts many birds. If the dumping of debris and human interference is continued than the winged visitors will be compelled to leave this habitat. This in turn will harm the bio diversity. The Naik bet is losing its island status as it is now being connected to the mainland as a virtual road has been constructed. It is wrong to dump debris in a beautiful, natural place that is situated in the heart of the city.”
Anuj Khare, honorary wildlife warden for Pune district, wildlife activist.
The impact
Naik bet, a 50-acre island, connected to mainland due to land mass created by debris
-Destruction of biodiversity
-Bottleneck after confluence
-Rise in flood levels of Mula and Mutha rivers