PUNE: The biodiversity park project at the Taljai hill has been opposed by some local residents and citizen groups.
The activists have formed a group called ‘Taljai Bachav Abhiyan’ and have planned a signature campaign on Sunday to raise environmental concerns. The project’s announcement had led to a controversy two years ago but now, the issue resurfaced after the detailed project report was submitted to the standing committee for approval.
The members of the group held a meeting on Thursday to plan the future course of action.
“We do not support this project as it will cause environmental hazards. Soil erosion will occur and ground water recharge issue is evident,” said Ketaki Kulkarni, an environmentalist.
The project will hamper the natural habitat and ecology, she said. “The project will cause infrastructure issues. There will be traffic jams as the area is already congested,” said Amit Sathe, a resident of the area. These hills are lungs of the city and should be preserved, he added.
