TARA TANMAYI S.

Pune: The flood-prone areas along Mula-Mutha River are set to expand significantly, with the existing blue and red flood lines nearly doubling in width, according to a recent report by the Maharashtra Engineers Research Institute (MERI).

The findings have raised concerns among environmentalists and activists, who are urging authorities to take preventive measures to protect the riverbed from urban encroachment.

The Water Resources Department had commissioned MERI to reassess the flood lines, and the institution has now submitted its findings. The report reveals that the previous flood boundary, established in 2011, underestimated the extent of flooding, necessitating a major revision.

Environmental researcher Sarang Yadwadkar and Right to Information (RTI) activist Vijay Kumbhar, who held a press conference to disclose these findings, have called on the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to act responsibly.

"The city must ensure that developmental activities do not lead to the narrowing of the riverbed. Any such encroachments could worsen flooding risks in the future," they emphasized.

Background of the Flood Line Revisions

In 2011, the Water Resources Department had defined the blue and red flood lines of the Mula-Mutha River. These lines determined the areas where construction activities were permitted, with the municipal corporation using them to regulate development along the riverbanks.

However, in 2017, when Pune’s municipal development plan was being finalized, the flood lines were altered. The superintendent engineer of the Water Resources Department provided a revised flood map to the PMC without securing approval from the department’s chief engineer, significantly reducing the extent of the flood-prone zones.

Upon discovering these unauthorized modifications, environmentalists Sarang Yadwadkar, Vivek Velankar, and Vijay Kumbhar filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court, demanding corrective action. The court responded by directing the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the issue.

Subsequently, the state government set up a committee led by the Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department, which entrusted MERI with conducting a new flood assessment.

Shocking Findings in the MERI Report

The earlier flood assessment, based on studies by the Water Resources Department, indicated that the blue flood line extended up to a discharge level of 60,000 cusecs from the Khadakwasla Dam to the confluence of the Mula-Mutha rivers. However, MERI’s latest study reveals that this boundary should now extend up to 98,795 cusecs.

The red flood line, which previously marked areas affected when 59,000 cusecs of water were released, will now expand significantly. The updated assessment projects that areas will be submerged when water levels reach up to 160,000 cusecs.