PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Tree Authority officials skipped the meeting they had convened with environmental activists working to save the green cover of Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in the city, to discuss the issue of haphazard replanting of 167 trees in the Sanctuary.
While the activists turned up, Ganesh Sonawne, Secretary of the Tree Authority, was absent. Dharmaraj Patil, ornithologist and environment activist, who was a part of the group, said they are now exploring legal course of action.
On January 2, Sakal Times highlighted the issue about the half hearted work done by PMC of replanting 167 trees, which were hacked in September last year for the road construction of Shivane-Kharadi Road.
Patil said, “On January 1, 2019, we contacted Sonawne, requesting for a meeting. He called us for a meeting at 7 am on Wednesday in the Sanctuary. Our group reached there on time, some riding on bikes for over 13 km in chilling cold. And what we received from Sonawane was sheer apathy towards citizens of Pune, as he did not turn up.”
Patil further said, “At 8 am, we left after handing over a letter to the other official of the Tree Authority. This is the highest level of apathy and arrogance towards citizens of Pune. It has given us even more reason to stand united for protection of the Sanctuary and the surrounding green belt.”
