Illegal Sand Mining From Mula River in Pimple Nilakh Area: Lakhs of worth of sand is being stolen from the Mula river that flows through Pimpri-Chinchwad city. Despite the ban, illegal sand mining is going on at night from Pimple Nilakh area for several days. On the other hand, no concrete action is being taken by the administration on the complaints of social workers and citizens. (Illegal Sand Mining From Mula River in Pimple Nilakh Area)
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Sand mining under the guise of river improvement program
The river improvement project of Mula river is being carried out by both the municipal administrations. Under the river revival project, this work has been done in two phases. The first phase of it is being carried out by Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on the river bank in Pimple Nilakh. While the work on the river improvement project is going on, sand mafias have taken advantage of the same to smuggle sand from the Mula river. Sand is being illegally extracted from the Mula river in the Pimple Nilakh area and transported at night by tractors and highways. This is being ignored by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Upper Tehsildars and local officers.
The Mula River flows from the north to the northwest of Pune. It enters Pune city via Pimpri-Chinchwad, passing through the suburbs of Paud, Lavale, Nande and Hinjewadi, Kaspate Vasti and Balewadi. The two major rivers of Pune, the Mula and the Mutha, meet near the Sangam Bridge in the city. At Ranjangaon, these rivers merge into the larger Bhima River.
Due to the mixing of sewage, chemical-rich water and drain water in the Mula River, the pollution of the river has increased. Therefore, a river improvement project is being implemented jointly by the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations.
The length of the Mula river bank in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation limits is 14.20 kilometers. Accordingly, the Municipal Corporation has started the work of the Mula River Revitalization Project. The administration claims that the Mula riverbed should be clean and beautiful, which will help keep the city’s air clean, and help boost tourism.
However, environmentalists are expressing anger over the felling of trees and the dumping of soil, dirt, and stones in the riverbed during this work. More seriously, sand smuggling from the river is happening while the work of the river improvement project is underway.
Sand mining has started in many places in the Mula riverbed in Pimple Nilakh. Sand dunes are visible in the river at various places. For the river improvement work, the contractor has prepared roads by pouring mud, soil, and stones on the river banks. Some sand smugglers are taking advantage of this. Sand dunes are being transported to other places by trucks, highways, and tractors through this road in the dark of night. No permission has been given by the Revenue Department for sand mining or transportation from the river.
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