PUNE: The Pavana river bank along Walhekarwadi was neglected for several years. Mainly, vehicles including heavy vehicles, were being washed on the bank, thus polluting the river. However, citizens staying at Ravet and Walhekarwadi, along with NGOs, including Rotary Club of Walhekarwadi, asked the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to install barriers along the bank to block access of vehicles to the bank. Thus, the river could be protected.
Citizens were demanding making the river pollution-free by cleaning hyacinth in it and stopping cleaning of vehicles in it. Pradeep Walhekar, Rotary Club of Walhekarwadi President, said, “We launched a drive to make Pavana river hyacinth-free from November 2017. People used to come in the afternoon or evening to wash their vehicles in the river.”
“After following up the matter with the PCMC, rock barriers were installed a month ago but the work was not done properly. Later, the barriers were properly installed along the river bank. The situation is much better now.”
Dhananjay Shedbale, environmentalist, said, “The reason why we call any river ‘Mai’ is because it is our mother and it should be kept safe and pure at any cost.”
Sandeep Khot, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of Zone ‘B’ Ward Officer of the PCMC, said, “15 days ago, we put barriers after citizens of Walhekarwadi demanded it. We had to discontinue the work of raising the barriers as some part of the land along the bank is owned by private parties. Now, we are installing the barriers at the corner of the road itself. The work of installation will be completed in two days.”
