How to Save the Mula Mutha River?

Concretizing it is definitely not the answer

The story so far: Mula and Mutha are two important rivers in Pune. Over four decades, both rivers have gone from having water that people could swim in to becoming smelly nallas today. The Pune Municipal Corporation wants to rejuvenate the 44 km river stretch in the city by concretizing it. On Feb 9, Sunday, over 2,500 Punekars, under Pune River Revival, marched to start a Chipko movement to save the trees. They are protesting all projects that are destructively affecting the Mula, Mutha, Pavana, and Indrayani rivers running through the city. You can read about it here.

The Pune Municipal Corporation's Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project (RFD) spans 44 kilometers of riverfront, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying its foundation stone in March 2022. The project, designed by HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt. Ltd., proposes extensive concretization and development along the riverbanks. Key components include construction of 91 km of embankments, four barrages for water retention, new bridges, and recreational facilities. The PMC plans to create public amenities across 23 hectares, including temples, crematoriums, and food courts, while promising to plant 30,000 trees to offset the removal of 22,150 existing trees. Currently, work is 80% complete on the 3.7 km stretch from Sangamwadi to Bund Garden, while development has begun on the 8.8 km stretch from Wakad to Sangvi.

Environmental Impact

The environmental implications of the RFD project are severe and far-reaching. By narrowing the river width by up to 40% through debris dumping and concretization, the project significantly compromises the river's flood-carrying capacity. This is particularly concerning given TERI's projections of 10-37.5% increased rainfall in Pune between the 2030s and 2070s, with fewer but more intense rainy days suggesting higher risks of cloudbursts. The project's massive tree-felling plan - removing 11,000 trees and transplanting another 11,150 - threatens to devastate crucial riparian ecosystems. While the PMC promises to plant 30,000 new trees, the immediate loss of established vegetation will have lasting impacts on local biodiversity. The river system, which once supported diverse wildlife including elephants, aurochs, and ostriches, still maintains significant bird populations in its wetland areas. The proposed barrages and concrete channelization threaten to further degrade these habitats. Additionally, the project's focus on beautification overlooks critical issues of water quality, with the Mula-Mutha river system already heavily polluted by untreated sewage and industrial effluents.

Community Impact

The RFD project threatens to sever centuries-old connections between local communities and the river. Several indigenous groups whose livelihoods and cultural practices are intricately linked to the river face displacement or disruption:

• The Kumbhars (potters), whose 1,500-year-old craft tradition along the Mutha riverbanks has already been displaced from their traditional workshops
• Dhangar communities who rely on the riverbanks as vital grazing grounds for their cattle
• Local fisherfolk, already struggling with dwindling fish populations, face further challenges as river modifications threaten remaining aquatic life
• Vegetable and herb collectors who gather valuable medicinal plants like Brahmi and Ghol from the riverbanks
• Worm collectors who, despite challenging conditions, sustain themselves by harvesting Tubifex worms for the aquarium trade

Beyond these specific communities, the river holds profound cultural significance for Pune's broader population, particularly during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi. The project's emphasis on modern recreational facilities and aesthetic improvements fails to acknowledge or preserve these longstanding socio-cultural connections to the river.

Legal Challenges and Public Response

Public resistance to the RFD has taken multiple forms, from peaceful protests to legal action. Environmental activists have filed cases at the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Bombay High Court, challenging various aspects of the project including flood line demarcation and environmental clearances. The "Save Trees, Save Rivers" movement, exemplified by the Chipko march at Ram-Mula river confluence, demonstrates growing public concern. While some activists, like Shailaja Deshpande of Jeevitnadi, advocate for a modified approach using bio-engineering methods, others like economist Ameet Singh oppose the project entirely, viewing it as a real estate grab disguised as river development. Despite these challenges, the project has gained momentum with its inclusion in the Chief Minister's War Room for expedited implementation.

The Mula-Mutha RFD project exemplifies a broader conflict between urban development and ecological preservation. While promising beautification and public access, it risks exacerbating flooding risks, destroying biodiversity, and erasing cultural heritage. The project's emphasis on concrete solutions and recreational facilities over ecological restoration and community preservation suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of urban rivers as living systems. As climate change threatens to increase extreme weather events, Pune's decision to narrow rather than widen its rivers may have severe long-term consequences for both environmental and human security.

Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. If you disagree with our analysis, please write back. If we have missed out on something or made wrong claims, please let us know.

Do write to us with any feedback, positive or critical. We are especially cognizant that you have chosen to give us your valuable time from the millions of content options out there. Thank you!

Please reply to this email if you want us to cover any topic in particular. Definitely write to us if you want to cover a topic for us.

If you like what we do, please forward this newsletter to your friends and people you love.

If someone you love has sent you this newsletter, please click here and sign up for the newsletter and check out our Instagram page for more.

So long!

Team Reading Room