PUNE: The civic administration on Friday demolished 15 illegal structures spread over 1.5 lakh sqft in the green belt of DP Road between the Rajaram and Mhatre bridges.
“PMC had issued notices to the marriage halls, lawns and food joints located on the stretch between Rajaram and Mhatre bridges, according to the NGT directives. Some of these establishments demolished illegal extensions on their own. The civic administration acted against only the establishments, owners of which did not follow the directives,” said Bipin Shinde, executive engineer of PMC.
PMC officials said the administration also removed around 6,000 cubic feet of sand, which was used for reclamation near the riverbank. The sand was transported to Wagholi quarry using six dumpers. Around 50 people, including police officers, participated in the anti-encroachment drive.
The civic officials said as a respondent to a National Green Tribunal (NGT) case, PMC had filed an affidavit in October this year wherein it submitted that the civic body did not grant permission to set up temporary booths and pandals inside the blue line area of Mula-Mutha river. Further, it was submitted that PMC took action to remove illegal encroachments on DP Road, as a result of which 84 property owners or occupiers were served notices to remove unauthorized developments and/or to stop from making illegal developments.
The civic administration stated in the affidavit that it had carried out a joint inspection with the irrigation department on August 3, 2023. They found that 30 properties were constructed inside the blue line of the river. The NGT then directed PMC that it should issue notices to the encroachers and ensure that the illegal structures were demolished.
“We gave two-month time to PMC to take action and submit a compliance report to NGT,” stated the order by Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, judicial member and Vijay Kulkarni, an expert member of NGT issued in October.
PMC on Friday in its statement said it would submit the action report to NGT by December 10.
