Citizens allege ‘fraudulent’ panchnama for Ravet’s Metro Eco Park ; Request Police to take action

The land allotted for the Metro Eco Park at Ravet has been handed over to the Election Commission. However, it has been demanded from the police that a case should be registered against the concerned talathi, tehsildar, who made a fraudulent panchanama that the place was empty and vacant. Prashant Raul of Green Army has filed a complaint application at Ravet Police Station regarding this.

Speaking to Pune Pulse, Prashant Raul, Founder, Green Army, said “We had filed 3 complaints to the Ravet Police from November 2023 to February 2024. The first complaint is about the unauthorized tree cutting by the Election Commission in the Metro Eco Park. The second complaint is about not providing water to the trees & cutting more than 140 trees, which is a clear violation of the Tree Act. The third complaint is about the fraudulent panchanama, by talathi & tehsildar, which shows that the Metro Eco Park land is empty & vacant. Also, the Election Commission doesn’t require the land of Metro Eco Park. Hence, under the name of Election Commission, the said land is being planned to transfer to someone else & kill all the trees there. The doubt in all of this is whether this land is being given to a builder etc. FIRs must be filed of all 3 complaints but they are not being filed by the Ravet Police. I don’t know if there is any kind of pressure on them.”

Vikas Badolia, Member of Metro Eco Park Bachao Samiti, said “3 complaints have been given to the Ravet Police related to fraudulent panchnama by talathi, tehsildar, killing of 140 trees and more. However, the Ravet Police haven’t taken any action. There is so much struggle to be done to save several trees. The situation of trees is so dire that we have given around 3 to 3.5 lakh liters of water to the trees through tankers in the last 15 days with the help of donations and more. Any authority isn’t paying attention towards this at all. Summer is increasing. Hence, trees need more and more water every day. Also, the land of Metro Eco Park is not fertile as, instead of soil, there are stones in the land. All the authorities & notable people like the PCMC, Police, Politicians etc are requested to please pay attention towards this & support us in all possible ways.”

Pune Pulse contacted the Ravet Police officer but there was no response from them over the issue. 

Shreyas Vange