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Pune Floods: River Project Blamed for Disaster
8 Jul
Summary
- Riverfront project accused of reducing river capacity.
- Experts cite lack of flood-risk assessment for rainfall.
- Residents demand urgent review of the Mula-Mutha project.
Environment experts and activists are calling for an inquiry into Pune's Riverfront Development (RFD) project, asserting it triggered recent flash floods. They claim water entered homes along the riverbanks without dam discharge, a consequence of the project's unscientific debris dumping and river reclamation. Siddharth Dhende, former deputy mayor, stated that the project's impact assessment needs re-evaluation and responsible officials should be held accountable.
Environmentalists highlight that the RFD has reduced the Mula and Mutha rivers' water-carrying capacity. Sarang Yadwadkar noted that flood-risk assessments ignored rainfall runoff and confluence effects, while also narrowing river cross-sections. Prajakta Mahajan added that rivers should remain natural corridors, not concrete canals, urging for reviews by institutions like IITs and IISC. Residents from affected areas are urging the civic administration to review the project.
The 44km Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation project, a public-private partnership, involves beautification and the addition of cycle tracks. However, critics like Sarang Wable express concern that the project, with 20-25km already completed, is burying the river. This narrowing has led to severe flooding in areas like Baner and Balewadi, increasing flood risk significantly if dam releases and heavy rainfall coincide.
