Pune: Over 400 citizens marched silently towards Lakdi Pul on Sunday in solidarity with the flood-affected residents in the city. The march — Save River, Save Lives — planned by over 15 organisations, including Jeevitnadi, Jal Biradari, National Society for Clean Cities, National Alliance for People's Movement and Pune River Revival, had over 70 organisations taking a pledge to save the rivers and tying blue rakhis to signify their solidarity. The march started at 4pm in front of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Park.
The citizens pledged not to encroach on the riverbed, not to throw debris in the river, not to pollute the river with sewage and garbage, and to protect the biodiversity in the riparian zone along the river bank. The participants included activists Sarang Yadwadkar, Shailaja Deshpande, and Vivek Velankar, along with RJ Sangram, former MLA Mohan Joshi, and former member of Rajya Sabha Vandana Chavan. “The sentiment was very high.
We saw the effects of a river that has been exploited. It entered homes, and many lives were at stake. The river has encroachments on both sides, forcing it to take its own course and flood the city.
This march is a means to voice our concerns,” said Santosh Lalwani, an organiser and member of the Pune River Revival group. The group will be convening a joint meeting to deduce methods possible for reducing flood-like situations. Meanwhile, they would also be writing to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) chief, demanding immediate action on the subject.
The demands made by the participants include immediate removal of all obstructions, dykes, and solid waste from the river, providing relief to flood victims, drawing flood lines for the river and its tributaries, and ensuring that city planning adheres to these regulations. They also demanded a scientific survey and mapping of groundwater sources along the riverbanks and the implementation of conservation measures. “The flood-carrying capacity of Pune rivers has eroded.
There are multiple encroachments on the riverbed. Unfortunately, the largest encroacher is PMC itself. Under the garb of the so-called River Front Development project, the civic body has reduced the river's width by more than 40%,” said Mohan Joshi.
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