2025-04-27 07:35:00
Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad witnessed a powerful wave of environmental activism today, as thousands of citizens rallied to protest the ongoing destruction of the Mula-Mutha river ecosystem, carried out under the guise of development.
Environmentalists have raised serious concerns that under the pretext of beautifying the river, authorities are narrowing its natural course and indiscriminately cutting down the trees lining its banks. They warn that this is part of a larger pattern across the city, where rivers are being squeezed and green belts destroyed in the name of urban expansion.
In response, activists have launched a sustained protest campaign against the river rejuvenation project by the municipal corporations. As part of these efforts, a massive demonstration titled ‘Nadīsāṭhī Nadīkāṭhī’ (By the River, For the River) was organized today (April 27) at Pimple Nilakh.
More than 110 organizations and citizen groups from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad joined forces, creating a united front rarely seen before. Protesters assembled at Shaheed Ashok Kamthe Udyan and marched along the riverbank to the nearby crematorium, symbolizing their fight to protect the river’s life and spirit.
The ‘Nadīsāṭhī Nadīkāṭhī’ movement has been steadily building momentum over the past two months through human chains, memoranda, and symbolic fasts. Today’s march marks the largest show of collective action yet.
Environmental experts emphasize that genuine river conservation means preserving natural river flows, safeguarding biodiversity, and promoting sustainable urban development — not narrowing riverbeds or felling trees. They warn that continued destruction could severely threaten water security, ecological balance, and the well-being of future generations.
As thousands stand by the rivers today, the question remains: will the administration course-correct and honor the call for true conservation, or continue on a path of irreversible environmental damage? The future of Pune’s rivers — and its ecological health — hangs in the balance.
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