Pune: Environmentalist warns of landslide risk as land mafia razes Taljai Hill

Hingne Khurd, August 23, 2024: The backside of Taljai Hill in Hingne Khurd is being razed to the ground by the land mafia, posing a risk of future landslides. Environmentalist Anant Gharat has appealed to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Maharashtra Forest Department to take immediate action to prevent landslides in the area. He has also appealed to the PMC Commissioner and Haveli Tehsildar to urgently address the issue to avert a disaster like the one in Wayanad. He has also requested Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar to initiate the ‘Ladka Dongar Yojana’ for Pune.

The land mafia is cheating both the public and the government by creating unauthorized plots on the hills of Pune despite existing BDP reservations. The land mafia has blocked a natural 40-foot drain in the development plan near Atharva Nagar in Hingne Khurd. Moreover, waterfalls, natural springs and streams originating in the Taljai range have been destroyed by hill-cutting. Hundreds of trucks have been used to extract secondary minerals from the mountains but no action has been taken against those responsible.

The owner and developer have completely leveled the hill up to the forest department wall of Taljai Hill. So heavy rains could lead to the collapse of the forest department wall, possibly causing an accident. Gharat warns that an incident like Wayanad is highly likely in Hingne Khurd and demands that the government take action against the culprits.