Pune: Citizens and activists have blamed the civic administration for throwing debris lifted from riverbanks on the road, instead of disposing it properly. PMC on Monday lifted debris from Mutha riverbank following flooding on Sinhagad Road last week. However, the debris was left lying on the road, said citizens.
“The civic administration should take steps to remove the debris from the road. Public money is spent on removal and disposal of debris,” said Sandip Khardekar, a resident of Karvenagar. Civic officials said that commercial establishments around riverbeds throw sand and other materials for reclamation of spots around riverbanks.
The vacant plots created by dumping debris are used to park vehicles belonging to marriage halls and food joints on DP Road. On Monday, the civic administration lifted debris from the stretch between Mhatre Bridge and Shivane. Over 25 JCB machines and earthmovers were deployed.
Around 250 truckloads of debris were lifted from various areas. Vijay Kumbhar, a citizen activist, said that mismanagement in disposal of dumped debris will cost citizens dear. “More rainfall is expected in the days to come.
If the debris is openly dumped on roads near riverbeds, it will be washed away. The whole exercise of lifting debris from riverbank will have no meaning,” he said. “The civic administration has identified private lands and vacant plots near the site of excavation.
The debris that has been lifted will soon be shifted to Wagholi, which has been designated for debris dumping,” said Madhav Jagtap, head of PMC’s anti-encroachment department. Jagtap said that offences have been filed against property owners involved in illegal reclamation. The system of decentralised dumping of debris has not become a reality in the city despite demands for the same for several years, leaving PMC with no option but to dump debris at Wagholi.
However, lifting the debris from riverbanks and transporting it to Wagholi is a laborious task, which many contractors try to avoid. Activists said that illegal reclamation has been carried out violating the norms of blue and red floodlines. These floodlines are based on maximum water level, which possibly happens only once in 100 years, whereas the blue line is demarcated as per maximum flood discharge in 25 years.
The prohibited zone is defined as the area between two blue lines on either side of rivers. The restrictive zone is the area between blue line and red line marked in the development plan and development control rules..
