‘Run for the Hills’ to be held in Pune on October 30
The marathon aims to create awareness and reach out to as many people as possible to help preserve the rich biodiversity of Pune’s hills
In an extension of the ‘Yellow Ribbon campaign’ to save Pune’s hills from unfettered development, a unique ‘Run for the Hills’ marathon has been organised at 6 am on Sunday, October 30, at Vetal tekdi. The marathon aims to create awareness and reach out to as many people as possible to help preserve the rich biodiversity of Pune’s hills.
Sushma Date, member of Save Vetal tekdi group and Deccan Gymkhana Parisar Samiti, said, “The Vetal tekdi and the forest on it supports the city in many ways. The tekdi is one of the last remaining environmental resources of the city, and must be preserved at any cost. It not only has a precious urban forest but also contains aquifers that recharge Pune’s groundwater, and is an important buffer against the catastrophic effects of climate change.”
Event organiser, Arvind Bijwe, said, “The basic idea behind ‘Run for the Hills’ is to get people together and experience the vast flora and fauna on Vetal tekdi, starting from Aapla Maruti going towards Masoba on the tekdi where the entire route has zero traffic, zero pollution and allows people to experience how beautiful the hills are.”
Bijwe said that the event triples as an awareness run, walk and even plogging (picking up litter while jogging). “We are not against development but development should not hamper the tekdi and hills. Development should be restricted to non-hilly areas and should help preserve the hills as they absorb carbon dioxide and maintain optimal weather in Pune,” he said.
‘Run for the Hills’ assumes significance in the backdrop of three destructive projects planned by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) including the Balbharati road across the Law college slope (surface road); two tunnels with exits at Sutardhara (Paud road), Janwadi (Gokhalenagar) and Panchavati; and HCMTR/Neo metro elevated road across the Law college slope.
“This ‘development’ comes at the cost of the forests, biodiversity, groundwater and our city’s cultural identity and progress. The citizens of Pune have come together to urge the PMC to scrap these environmentally destructive projects and instead, invest in an efficient, well-connected public transport system. This unique event is organised by the Pune Running group to help create awareness,” Date said.
When: Sunday; October 30, 2022; 6 am
Where: Vetal tekdi, outside ARAI building at the top of the hill
Distances: 10 km trail run, 5 km trail run, 3 km walk/run
Plogging run - This the perfect exercise for eco-conscious runners, combining jogging with litter-picking