PUNE: After city-based civic activists raised the issue of dumping of debris in Mula-Mutha river bed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken the matter seriously.
On Wednesday, PMC’s Building Construction, Control and Development Department and Anti-Encroachment Department jointly conducted an anti-encroachment drive in Sangamwadi area.
For the past few years, local residents were dumping debris in the Mula-Mutha river bed and also set up hotels and parking lots for private tourist vehicles.
On Monday, Member of Parliament (MP) Vandana Chavan and city-based civic activists raised the issue of dumping of debris on the Mula-Mutha river bank and bed and encroachments.
After that, PMC Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad and Chief Engineer Prashant Waghmare visited the Sangamwadi area and instructed the department to conduct an anti-encroachment drive.
The Building Construction, Control and Development Department filed police complaints against local residents for dumping debris in rivers banks and beds.
LOCAL RESIDENTS RESISTANCE
PMC Anti-Encroachment Department Head Madhav Jagtap said, “The Building Construction, Control and Development Department and the Anti-Encroachment Department jointly conducted an anti-encroachment drive in Sangamwadi area. We demolished around 25,000 square feet of construction with police protection, as we faced resistance from local residents. We have also started removing the debris.”
STAND FOR PRIVATE BUS OPERATORS
Private bus operators are using the Sangamwadi area adjacent to Sangamwadi-Vishrantwadi road as a bus stand and for parking their buses.
Residents have given their land to private operators to operate their services. The private operators have also set up their offices in the area.
REMOVAL OF DEBRIS IN KARVE ROAD AREA
In other incidents across the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation also started removing debris in the Mutha river bed near Mhatre Bridge (Karve Road area).
Some local residents were dumping debris to use the space for pay and park purposes.
However, local corporators highlighted the issue and registered a complaint with the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Anti-Encroachment Department.