PUNE: A
Malin-like tragedy
is waiting to happen in the
hills
of the city, environmental
experts
said, telling authorities to begin taking harsh steps to prevent such a disaster before it goes awry.
As reported earlier by TOI, there are various illegal constructions and slums that have come up in the areas demarcated as biodiversity parks (BDPs) on the hilltops and slopes in Pune.
Environmentalist Madhav Gadgil said the city is fortunate to have hills around it. "The least we can do is to conserve this good part of the city. No
encroachments
should be permitted as per the law. However, the authorities are continually engaged in making regular illegal constructions. Only once if they stop this and look at the bigger picture can the hills be saved," he told TOI.
The problem is that the bureaucracy and politicians too allow encroachments, excavations and denudation of the hills as they stand to gain from it, he added.
Meanwhile, environmental activist Dhananjay Shedbale said there are two sides to encroachments, builders and the slum mafias. There are many illegal buildings in the BDP areas. At the same time, the slum mafias are cashing in on the desperation of those with lower incomes by giving them cheap accommodation on land which is not theirs," he said.
For slum dwellers, safety is a lesser concern. They want shelter, and the slum mafia will not listen to reason as it is their revenue stream. The shocking part is that the authorities are turning a blind eye to what a layman can see," he added.
Shedbale said Pune Municipal Corporation will have to take stern steps to secure the people illegally living in BDP areas. "Until two years ago, there was a huge slum encroachment on the Warje hill. This land was under the forest department, which took strict action by removing all the encroachments, securing the area, redeveloping it as an urban forest and ensuring regular patrolling to stop future encroachments," he said.
This is the right time for the hills to be secured. It is only a matter of time before a landslide causes harm to human life, Shedbale said.
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