Save Hills ,Save Pune campaign

The Green Pune Movement, a coalition of environmentalists, activists and NGOs who have come together to save the hills of Pune, has written a letter to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan opposing the state government’s plan to allow 4% construction in proposed biodiversity parks (BDP) in the city. The letter appeals to the chief minister to honour the decision of the citizens of Pune and put together a team of officials who can work on the modalities on how the BDP, serving as lungs of the city, can be retained in its entirety and how the rightful landowners can be correctly compensated. The letter raised issues like discrepancies in the development plan passed by the civic general body, illegally sanctioned layouts, misquoting of the amount required to compensate landowners and the permission granted for development on the hills in ‘no development zone’. The movement also launched the ‘Save Hills - Save Pune’ campaign in the city on Monday. At the launch of the campaign, town planner Anita Benninger said that there was no justification with regard to development on hills. “The administration claimed that the money required to compensate the landowners was Rs 3,000 crore. But the actual amount is less than Rs 1,000 crore. It is difficult to understand why a provision of around Rs 1,000 crore, to be spent over a period of 10 years, cannot be made by the government,’’ she said. In the regional plan, the hills and hill slopes are identified as ‘no development zone’, she pointed out and asked how permission can be given for development in ‘no development zone.’ Along with 4% construction in proposed biodiversity parks, there will be need for infrastructure like roads, electricity, water supply and street lights. For all these facilities, the construction may go up to 44%, Benninger added. NCP’s city unit president Vandana Chavan asked how the authorities can come up with a compensation figure of Rs 3,000, when the actual amount is around Rs 1,000 crore, which can be raised.’’ According to her, public participation is important to save the hills of Pune. “We will voice our concern, otherwise we will have to blame ourselves later. Let us all wake up in this two-week long campaign,’’ Chavan said. She said that the letter to the chief minister has raised all the issues and noted environmentalist Mohan Dharia will meet the chief minister in this regard. Satish Khot, president of the National Society for Clean Cities, said that the fight against construction on hills is for the future of our children and grandchildren. “This movement should be replicated in other places also. The campaign is taken up to create awareness among public,” he added.