PUNE: Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan asked Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar to prepare a development plan about hills (tekdis) after expressing regret that hills which have been reserved as biodiversity park (BDP) are being destroyed. She expressed disappointment that despite repeated pleas, the civic administration is not willing to take any action.
In the city’s DP, many hills have been reserved as BDP. It is the PMC’s responsibility to save these hills. Many illegal structures have been built on the hills which are being destroyed, said Vandana Chavan. She has submitted various proofs to the civic administration and urged it to save hills. However, since it is not taking any action, she met the civic chief on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum.
The memorandum includes many demands which are as follows: Some individuals own properties on the reserved land and a decision about giving compensation to them should be taken immediately. The hills are necessary for conservation of our environment. If they are destroyed, the city will become a barren area, she states.
The PMC should build a protective fence around the reserved hills. Action should be taken against those who have carried out illegal constructions. An independent DP of hills should be prepared and the entire BDP zone should be marked as government and private. To prevent sale of reserved land, a mention about BDP reservation should be made in the 7/12 extract.
Vikram Kumar promised Chavan that immediate action would be taken. Chavan said that considering the explosive growth of the city, decision about granting huge FSI, environmental changes leading to flash floods, heat waves, polluted air, reduction in level of groundwater, it is necessary to protect the green lungs of the city.
Chavan was accompanied by former garden superintendent Yashwant Khaire, architect Aneeta Benninger, Chief of Urban Cell Nitin Kadam and Nitin Jadhav.
