Published By: Kavya Mishra
Last Updated: April 30, 2023, 08:34 IST
Girls paint their faces with the message of saving the atmosphere. (Representational Image: PTI)
The activists accused the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) of destroying pure greenery alongside the riverbank close to Bund Garden in the title of its River Rejuvenation Project
Hundreds of activists on Saturday staged the `Chalo Chipko’ (Let’s hug timber) agitation in the Mutha riverbed in Pune metropolis to protest the felling of timber for the formidable Pune River Front Development (RFD) venture.
The venture envisages the event of a 44-kilometre stretch of the river financial institution comprising 22.2 km of the Mula River, 10.4 km of the Mutha River and 11.8 km of the Mula-Mutha River.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the muse stone of the venture in March 2022.
The protesters held placards, shouted slogans and hugged the timber alongside the riverbank whereas forming a human chain.
The activists accused the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) of destroying pure greenery alongside the riverbank close to Bund Garden in the title of its River Rejuvenation Project.
A couple of thousand timber together with some uncommon and previous timber are being lower down for a 1 km stretch of the riverfront, they alleged.
The PMC, nonetheless, refuted the claims and stated there are not any previous and uncommon timber among the many timber that might be affected.
“During the work of river rejuvenation, it’s vital to lower some timber, and in their place, greater than 65,000 timber will likely be planted,” it said in a press release.
Activist Sarang Yadwadkar claimed that flood levels of the Mula and Mutha rivers would rise by five feet due to the project as the width of the water course is being reduced.
“Environmental clearance was given on the condition that not a single tree will be cut, but without any permission, the PMC has already started felling trees inside the river bed,” he alleged.
Mangesh Dighe, environmental officer on the PMC, stated the target of the venture is to defend the river financial institution on either side from floods and timber will likely be planted to create a inexperienced belt in the center of the town.
“The major intention is to make the realm air pollution free because the sewage water will likely be diverted into the sewage remedy plant,” he said.
“About 10,000 trees are affected but more than 3,000 trees will be preserved. More than 4,000 trees will be transplanted and only 3,000 trees will have to be removed. The trees which we are going to plant are complementary to the ecosystem of the river,” he stated.
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