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| Sunset at Vetal Tekdi |
The Vetal Tekdi is once again facing the threat of ‘development’, this time by none other than the Forest Department itself!
Please read on:
This is what the forest department has planned,
as per a TOI news item. The image below shows it too:
An excerpt from the TOI
article:
“People may not be aware about various things about the
local environment - the migratory birds that are regular visitors or certain
useful medicinal plants. The project aims to highlight these aspects so they
can be better appreciated. "How many people know what the inside of a
honeycomb looks like? Or how termites built their colonies? Just providing
detailed signage at important plants and trees with common and scientific names
and ecological importance can provide so much information to visitors,"
Singh said.
Once the project has been completed, entry fees will be charged for its upkeep."As a lot of people are regular visitors and come here for their daily exercise routine, they will be given the option of buying annual passes for a nominal fee. These passes will be sold at a further concessional rate to students, senior citizens or schools that organize field trips," Singh said.
Apart from the data interpretation centre and the medicinal plant grove that will be set up, the forest department also wants to improve amenities for visitors. Drinking water, toilets and a few gazebos where people can practice meditation or yoga will be provided.”
Once the project has been completed, entry fees will be charged for its upkeep."As a lot of people are regular visitors and come here for their daily exercise routine, they will be given the option of buying annual passes for a nominal fee. These passes will be sold at a further concessional rate to students, senior citizens or schools that organize field trips," Singh said.
Apart from the data interpretation centre and the medicinal plant grove that will be set up, the forest department also wants to improve amenities for visitors. Drinking water, toilets and a few gazebos where people can practice meditation or yoga will be provided.”
What will happen if the above plan is implemented?
The Vetal tekdi is already beautiful. Why is any artificial
beautification needed? Natural paths are already there, as also natural
nesting places for birds.
The birds are sure to vanish! Birds are creatures of habit. They do not like any
interference or sudden changes in the places
they live in. They are also very shy and wary of people. Most migratory birds who
arrive here will take one look at all the concrete, the smoke and pollution
from vehicles, and the hordes of visitors, and will look elsewhere to stay.
They say that all construction on the tekdi will be done with Ferrocrete which, if you examine, is just another name for reinforced concrete. Who are you trying to fool, Forest Dept?
Who would want to go all the
way to the Vetal Tekdi to take lessons
on beehives? There are no major beehives on the tekdi.
Construction of toilets at various points means
bringing pipes, drainage lines and sewage disposal units. Which means digging up of half the tekdi and
smoke belching trucks going to and fro on what is currently natural grass
and woodland.
They will also require
regular cleaning and maintenance to prevent foul odors. What
kind of record do we have in maintenance of public toilets on the roads, forget
the hills!
Plans are afoot to set up “Medicinal Groves” and “Data Interpretation Centers” on the tekdi. This concept has earlier failed at places like Bhimashankar and is better developed in the Botanical gardens around Pune, not on a hill!
If we let this happen we ordinary Punekars will be the losers of fresh air, a natural environment, and free place to exercise.
What can you do?
Do participate in the signature campaign to oppose such destructive construction on Tekdis. It will be held on the Vetal Tekdi on coming weekend - 4, 5 Oct.
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