DEO: Submit clarification on objections raised by citizen to land allocation for RFD project

Barely a week after union defence minister Rajnath Singh gave permission to hand over 17 acres of defence land for the Riverfront Development Project (RFD), the defence estates office (DEO) on March 5 wrote to the Pune municipal commissioner, urging the latter to submit a clarification on objections raised by a citizen to land allocation for the RFD project.

The PMC is executing the river rejuvenation and beautification project along a 44 km stretch between Sangamwadi Crematorium and Sadal Baba Dargah.

Recently on February 26, union minister Singh gave his nod to handing over 17 acres of defence land for the project. However, Prajakta Mahajan, a Punekar working on river conservation, objected to the allocation of land.

Mahajan through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) raised issues such as destruction of natural ecosystem/natural buffer/riparian zone/ecological balance/biodiversity, reduced groundwater recharge, increase in urban heat, and heightened flood risk and urged the ministry to reconsider its decision to allocate the defence land for the said project.

Mahajan further requested that the ministry look into an alternate solution which focuses on ecological restoration and that there be public participation and expert consultation to ensure that any development aligns with sustainable and environmentally responsible urban planning.

Upon receipt of Mahajan’s complaint, Vidyadhar Pawar, defence estates officer, Pune Circle, wrote to the municipal commissioner on March 5, urging the latter to submit a clarification on the objections raised by Mahajan to land allocation for the RFD project along with supporting documents and alternative measures, if any, so that the same can be submitted to the higher headquarters of the defence estates office.