‘NGT orders ignored: Debris dumping persists along Mula’

It has been four years since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed that the debris dumped along the Mula river be removed, but the situation at seven critical flood points along its banks has not changed.
In 2021, Shailaja Deshpande, founder of NGO Jeevitnadi, along with Shubha Kulkarni, Pushkar Kulkarni, and Prachi Wakaley, had written to several govt agencies and the principal bench of NGT. They cited frustration with the district collector's inaction on sand mining at the Ram-Mula confluence near Aundh-Baner Link Road and urged action against debris dumping activities.
The principal bench formed a joint committee to verify these issues and prepare an action report. The committee, comprising the divisional commissioner of Pune, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and other stakeholders, concluded that there was debris on the banks of Ramnadi under the limits of both the civic bodies.
The tribunal directed establishment of a vigilance monitoring system — including geo-fencing, CCTV coverage and police surveillance — to prevent future mining and ordered the removal of all obstructions within four months.
Additionally, a river management and rejuvenation committee was set up for both rivers, headed by the divisional commissioner. But according to the complainants, nothing has changed after all these years.
Now, the Mula riverfront development project's Wakad bypass to Sangvi bridge stretch is ironically the same stretch to which the tribunal's orders apply. "At every meeting so far, we urged them to establish a vigilance team, but only CCTV cameras were installed, and at incorrect locations. They do not even access video captures from CCTVs. Debris has now built up to two storeys at all these locations. Towards the PMC bank of Ram-Mula confluence, debris is cleaned up; but on the other bank under PCMC's jurisdiction, the issue persists," Deshpande said.
In 2019, when Pune was flooded, Shubha Kulkarni's home located near the confluence was waterlogged, she said.
"It is dubious how environment clearance was given to the RFD project when it is clearly ordered by NGT that all river-constricting material must be removed. Most of the debris seen today is from the RFD project," Kulkarni said.
Sand mining has also begun again. The police have registered an FIR based on the group's complaint.
"With the river constricted to this extent, extreme floods are a possibility. Moreover, the heat island effect will increase, there will be a decrease in groundwater recharge, and all trees will be buried. We will once again pitch it in the committee meeting this month else we will approach NGT again," Kulkarni said.
Pune divisional commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar did not respond to messages or calls from TOI till the time of going to press.