Pune residents unimpressed by ambitious River Front Development Project, hold protestÂ
On 19th March, hundreds of citizens gathered near the Bund Garden to protest against the River Front Development project that would lead to the destruction of trees, the riparian ecosystem, and the homes of birds. The protesters demanded that the river be allowed to flow in its natural form with clean water, rather than being subjected to beautification at the cost of the environment destruction.
The hundreds of protesters with various organisations like Jeevitnadi, Pune river revival RFD and others had organized into a street play to raise awareness about the issue. They also collected around 250 signatures from citizens to stop the project and formed human chains as a symbol of unity.
The protest comes in response to the recent development that more than 6000+ trees will be cut down as part of the project. The protesters argued that the river water must be cleaned first, and emphasized the need for sewage treatment plants to prevent sewage from flowing into the river. Only then can the river be revived without harming the environment.
The movement has gained momentum in recent days, with the citizens of Pune expressing their opposition to the river revitalization project of the Municipal Corporation. The protesters urged the Municipal Corporation to prioritize cleaning the river and to ensure that the project is environment friendly.
The river lovers of Pune are determined to protect their river and ensure that it remains a source of clean water and natural beauty. The protest on Sunday was a reminder of their commitment to the cause and their determination to protect the environment.
” First clean the rivers and beautify them later because since many years they have not been cleaned and even the sewage being let into the river is not stopped. Tree cutting is not the solution to river beautification,” stated Sathya Natrajan, Captain Puneri Nayak Swachhata League.
” Our campaign itself mention what we say it’s ‘clean the river first, beautify later’ it’s important that river flow naturally what we have to do is clean it regularly and this is what we are asking” said Shaileja Deshpande, from Jeevitnadi. Â
