Pune News: Pimpri-Chinchwad Citizens Form Human Chain To Demand Halt Of Riverfront Project
Pune News: Pimpri-Chinchwad Citizens Form Human Chain To Demand Halt Of Riverfront Project
Pimpri-Chinchwad |
Renuka Suryavanshi
Citizens concerned about environmental degradation staged a human chain protest outside the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) building on Sunday, May 25, demanding a complete halt to the ongoing riverfront development project.
Displaying banners with messages such as “Clean the river first” and “Stop illegal tree felling,” protestors called on the administration to prioritise ecological restoration over beautification. This marked the eighth protest against the controversial project, reflecting growing public opposition.
Although PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh recently ordered a temporary suspension of the project in response to sustained protests, citizens are pressing for its complete cancellation. They argue that meaningful intervention must begin with cleaning the river, removing debris, dismantling unauthorised constructions within the blue flood line, and stopping the felling of trees being carried out in the name of development.
Environmental activists and local residents also held a symbolic hunger strike at the same location on April 24, while previous protests included demonstrations inside the riverbed itself.
Protestors warned that if their demands continue to be ignored, they would intensify their agitation in the coming weeks.
