Pune: Environmental activists in Pimpri Chinchwad met on Sunday to decide a future course of action on pending concerns related to pollution, environmental protection and river contamination, while enumerating the issues they plan to take up with the newly elected corporators.The activists said they had raised the problems with the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) administrator and civic officers in the absence of an elected body over the last four years, but several key decisions were taken without adequate assessment of environmental impact.Green Army’s Prashant Raul said they were forced to approach bureaucrats and even the courts at times when their demands were not heard. “Now that an elected body is in place, we hope to get a hearing and our suggestions considered before any policy decisions,” he said.Additionally, the city-based activists are against the riverfront development project initiated at Mula river near Sangvi and a similar project planned for Pavana river.Shubham Pande, who attended the meeting, said, “It was decided that environmentalists will pursue issues involving cleanliness and conservation of rivers with corporators of their respective areas and ensure action over assurance.”Another member of the group said the team would soon collect information about the number of functional and non-functional sewage treatment plants (STP) across the city. Next week, a meeting will be organised with the municipal commissioner over ensuring that all STPs are functional. This will prevent release of untreated effluent into rivers.Three rivers — Pavana, Indrayani and Mula — pass through Pimpri Chinchwad. While Pavana is the main source of drinking water, Indrayani is considered a sacred river attracting devotees from across the state.Meanwhile, Raul said activists had decided to submit demand letters to area corporators to discuss environment matters during standing committee meetings. The list includes setting up an STP network across the city and creating awareness among residents and housing societies on environmental needs.
