PMC paints rosy picture of green cover in city

In Environment Status Report, civic body says hills, forestland, gardens make up about 35% of land area, which is higher than percentage prescribed in National Forest Policy

In Environment Status Report, civic body says hills, forestland, gardens make up about 35% of land area, which is higher than percentage prescribed in National Forest Policy

If the statistics reeled off by the civic body is to be believed, then the city can breathe easy. According to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 35 per cent of the city is luxuriating with trees. At its annual Environment Status Report (ESR) presentation yesterday, the civic body said this was 2 per cent more than the norm set by the National Forest Policy that prescribes 33 per cent of the total land area should be under forest cover.



"About 85 sq km of the total 243.84 sq km of the city is in the green belt. This includes hills (950 hectares), forest land (2,380 hectares) and at least 111 gardens," said Naresh Zurmure, additional municipal commissioner, at the general body meeting yesterday. "The city has a total of 380 species of trees, but only 70 per cent tree census of the total 170 square kms of area has been completed. We have counted 21.26 lakh of trees so far. The remaining census work shall be completed soon," Zurmure said.


Green crusaders: Tree loversu00a0protest against tree felling off J M Road
by PMC officials in the city. Green activists take out 'save the tree' rally
yesterday when the civic body tabled environmental status report.
Pic/Krunal Gosavi

Air pollution rising
As the vehicular population in the city has risen to 20 lakh, the quality of air has been deteriorating. Mangesh Dighe, environment officer, PMC, said the level of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) level in the air had already gone up more than double than the prescribed standards of 60mg per cubic metre. "There has been a constant rise in the RSPM level, said Dighe.

"RSPM between 120mg and 150mg has been recorded at Navi Peth, Pahsan and Phule Market area in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The same goes for the presence of nitrogen dioxide at these three spots, which was twice the prescribed standard of 40mg per cubic metre. At Phule Market it has gone upto 70mg."

Decibel demons
The sound level has gone up to 85 db from the standard level of 55 db at many places in the city, including Erandwane, Rajaram Bridge, Katraj Lake, Phadke Haud, and Ramoshi Gate area. "But we are concerned about locations close to Poona Hospital, Sassoon Hospital, N M V School, the University of Pune and Naidu Hospital. There has been an increase in sound levels at these places in the last three years," Dighe said. "At Poona Hospital the sound level has touched 90db, where as at the other spots, it is between 60db and 75db."

Activist says
Omkar Vahikar, a tree lover who took the initiative to save the trees on J M Road at Shivajinagar, said: "It is really ironic that the PMC is cutting trees on the day when the ESR is being tabled at the general body meeting. Their claim of 35 per cent green cover is false, as there was a rampant lopping of trees recently.
Over 85,000 trees were illegally hacked in the past five years."u00a0

ESR taken lightly
Only six members were present during the presentation of the ESR in the general body meeting. The number rose to 30 only after half-an-hour when the presentation was over. The ESR presentation was made in the absence of Mahesh Pathak, municipal commissioner, who was the former member secretary fo the Maharashtra Pradesh Pollution Board. Many senior PMC officials were also absent.

PMC report card
> The civic body set up solid waste management units at 16 places by using scientific methods and erecting biogas projects
> Set up 10 sewerage treatment plants to treat 70 per cent of water from Mutha.
> Set up pay and park scheme, one ways, traffic control lamps and cycle tracks to discipline traffic and thereby reduce air pollution. Ensured installation of CNG kits in 217 PMPML buses.
> Promoted use of unconventional electricity such as
solar energy and rain water harvesting by giving users
10 per cent exemption on property tax.

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