Pune: Seeing the failure of the Civil Administration on removal of the debris from the riverside road project, Pune, the Environment activist asking for speedy work completion, as per directions of the Court.
The Apex Court dismissed the appeal preferred by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) against the Order of National Green Tribunal (NGT) where, construction of the Riverside Road linking Vitthalwadi to National Highway – 4 was stopped in the third week of February, 2015.
The Court has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation to clear the debris from the concerned place with six months’ period by declaring the appeal preferred by PMC is meritless. There was around more than 478 days’ delay in filing the said, but no explanation was offered on behalf of Civic body.
Sarang Yadwadkar, an Environmental activist, was the petitioner in the case where Supreme Court has issued said direction to the PMC. He said that in August of this year the deadline will be over and the concerned administration is not likely to get any extension to carry out the said work. Once the Corporation failed in doing the said work, the said will amount to contempt of Court as per Yadwadkar. As such he suggested that this is the high time when the Administration should start the work without wasting anymore.
In response, the Head of the concerned Municipal Corporation’s Road Department, Mr. Vivek Kharwadkar, stated that all possible steps will be taken by the Administration to obey the said order of the Supreme Court. It is further stated that, the Administration is searching for the suitable place for the disposal of debris as such the work is to begin soon after the suitable place is identified.
The concerned site has became a matter of arguments from both sides, part population and certain elected members are in favour of the road and some are opposing the said. Favouring the road, the it is contended that the same is needed to ease the traffic on Sinhagad Road. And the others have raised environmental concerns on the project opposing the road.
The draft annual budget for the year 2015 – 2016 was presented in the month of February by the Civil Standing Committee, proposing Rs. One and Half Crores for flyover connecting Vitthal Temple to Vedgaon Phata. This is a proposed project of flyover, which the PMC has initiated after the Apex Court ordered it to stop work on the Riverside Road project.
by Faim Khalilkhan Pathan.