Citizens strongly oppose development on Taljai hills

Renuka Suryavanshi

Taljai Hills is one of those last few hills forming a major green cover providing fresh air, giving protection to many birds, animals, insects, etc. Thousands of people visit this beautiful place to breathe clean air and enjoy the serene beauty of this place. But Pune Municipal Corporation.has some different plans.

The civic body plans to develop an adventure park, food plaza, cricket stadium, parking lot, amphitheatre and many not so required amenities which will definitely harm the ecology further deteriorating the life of common people. To oppose this.proposed development on the Taljai Hills, citizens from across the city took part to protest the development. The proposed development at the cost of Rs 120 crores is planned on 112 acres of the land.

More than 2000 signatures were collected by various volunteers representing citizens groups from across Pune city. The protest was organised by Sahakarnagar Citizens Forum which was greatly supported by many residents associations from the city.

Amit Abhyankar from Sahakarnagar Citizens Forum said, “We don’t need any development on the hill. The beauty of this place should be retained. No concrete infrastructure is needed on the hill. PMC should immediately take action and cancel this proposal. We want to breathe freely and city’s hills are the lungs of the city.”

Maithili Manakawad of Wanawadi Residents Forum said, “PMC is definitely not keen on keeping the hills intact and hence such developments are being proposed. There are several open spaces which can be acquired by them and develop them. Our hills should be kept in their natural way.”

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City based environment activist, Pushkar Kulkarni said, “PMC should drop tis idea completely and let the hills breathe. there are several other.projects where they can invest money. And citizens have the right to say no to development which is not right.”

Netra Deshpande, a local Sahakarnagar resident said, “I have been visiting Taljai hills for the last forty years. Any further development on the hills will destroy its natural beauty. We don’t want that to happen and that is why we are opposing.”

The signatures taken by the volunteers would be handed over to the Commissioner of Pune Municipal Corporation, Vikram Kumar shortly.