The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is constructing a 180-metre-long road over a natural stream in Kothrud, and the residents are raising concerns as it poses a threat to aquatic plants and animals.
Around 140 citizens gathered recently and signed a petition expressing their strong opposition to the road construction over the stream.
Prashant Velankar, an activist, said, "We are here to protect nature and keep the stream alive. PMC is constructing the road, which is a threat to aquatic life and the people residing nearby. As per the Supreme Court ruling, no construction can be done on natural water bodies, nor can they be fully covered, as it poses a serious threat to the biodiversity of the area."
Anand Paraswar, a resident from Kothrud, added, "I have a shop near the stream, and the civic body has closed the natural flow of water by constructing a road over the stream. This will have an adverse effect, especially during monsoons, as the water levels will rise high and the entire ground floor will get submerged in water. The civic body, before constructing anything, should conduct an audit to check if it will work out or not. We are concerned about what will happen during monsoons."
The campaign was conducted without using any banners, flex boards, or pamphlets, yet it received an encouraging response.
The event was attended by Pune City Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) Vice President Sitaram Tonde Patil, Congress General Secretary Rajabhau Magar, along with social activists Vijay Pise, Satish Khaire and Ashish Velankar.
