Medha Kulkarni is sounding the alarm on Pune’s riverfront project, highlighting serious ecological concerns and calling for immediate action.
Recently, she visited the project site with local officials and environmental activists. They found some troubling issues like shrinking riverbeds and illegal debris dumping. Medha has even filed a complaint with the Union Jal Shakti minister.
This riverfront project, which costs around ₹4,700 crores, has been a hot topic. It was launched by the Pune Municipal Corporation when the BJP was in charge. But now, it’s facing backlash from environmentalists and local leaders who want more public input.
Before the project kicked off, there were protests against tree cutting. Despite the pushback, the PMC got the green light from the National Green Tribunal and started work.
During her visit, Medha pointed out that a lot of debris has been dumped in the rivers, which is a big no-no. She’s urging the authorities to widen the riverbed instead of narrowing it and to protect the old trees.
She plans to meet with local officials and citizens to discuss these issues further. Medha believes that messing with the river’s natural flow could lead to flooding in the city.
While beautifying the river is important, she insists that we shouldn’t create artificial problems that harm the environment. Bhosale, the municipal commissioner, said they’re open to suggestions from the public.
Environmentalists are cheering Medha on, saying it’s great to see political leaders standing up for civic and environmental issues.
