Shri Eknath Shinde
Hon Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Minister - Environment & Climate Change
Government of Maharashtra
Mantralaya, Mumbai - 400032

Dear Sir,

We are concerned citizens of Pune who have been actively working to preserve and protect our environment. The Indian Constitution Article 51-A (g) says that “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.

As per Environment Protection Act 1986 it is the obligation of the state to provide a healthy environment to the citizens. 

It is therefore highly objectionable that the Pune Municipal Corporation in March 2023 should propose to cut thousands of full-grown age-old native trees in the riparian forests of the Mula Mutha river which is an integral part of the rich cultural, historical, and natural heritage of Pune.

The Mula, Mutha, and Mula-Mutha rivers of Pune are blessed with dense riparian forests on both banks. Therefore, such a proposal to cut or transplant trees from riparian zones will negatively impact the delicate biodiversity, and ecology and result in the destruction of the natural habitat of aquatic life, birds, animals, and reptiles, many of which are protected species.

We, therefore, seek your immediate intervention to prevent this large-scale destruction of our environment and pass requisite orders to PMC to immediately scrap this destructive proposal.

Thanking you,

Save Trees of Pune.