MUMBAI: The Save
Powai Lake
campaign against the cycle track around the lake has gained further momentum as a group of
Powai
residents have now written to chief minister
Uddhav Thackeray expressing shock at the construction of the cycle track inside the waterbody, since it is highly harmful for the environment.
Powai resident and activist Pamela Cheema, who is the S ward coordinator of AGNI (Action for Good Governance and Networking in India), said, "A lot many people we have interacted with in Powai have expressed similar sentiments that this cycle track work inside the lake is destructive. That is why we were compelled to write to the CM to tell him to cancel this plan as nobody wants the cycle track. The Indian marsh crocodiles bask and lay their eggs on the banks of the lake here. So just let it be."
Cheema, who is also part of the citizens' initiative, NAGAR, for the betterment of the city, added, "`We have also written to the CM that the three lakes Tulsi, Vihar and Powai are a part of an ecosystem, with each lake overflowing into the other. In fact, Powai lake overflows into the Mithi river; so further reducing the lake size for the cycle track will lead to flooding in the city."
The concerned citizens have stated that no Environment Impact Assessment was done for the cycle track, and also the views and objections of locals and stakeholders was not taken into account.
The letter also states, "For a progressive state like
Maharashtra, it is appalling that the BMC insists that Powai lake is not a wetland because it is man-made. We humbly submit that Bharatpur or the Keoladeo Ghana National Park is a man-made and man-managed wetland and is known as such nationally. Powai lake is a wetland and satisfies all the criteria for a wetland."
In the past few days, several youngsters, students and activists of Muse Foundation had held demonstrations near the lake urging the BMC and the state government to scrap the cycle track project.
Environmentalist
D Stalin
of Vanashakti NGO has also petitioned in the NGT against the cycle track at Powai lake.
Many green and healthy trees -- some over 60 years old -- are slated to be chopped for the controversial cycle track project.
A few years ago, many Powai residents had protested against BMC's plan to build water fountains and musical fountains inside the lake. But, despite protests the civic body implemented the fountains, which are at present lying defunct due to technical issues.