Pune: Evironmentalists, Citizens and Forest Officials Push to Halt Riverfront Development Activities in Ram-Mula Devrai

Aundh, 15th September 2025: Pune’s Ram-Mula Devrai, a sacred grove located at the confluence of the Ram and Mula rivers, has become the centre of an intensifying environmental battle. In February 2025, environmentalist Vandana Chaudhary submitted a formal appeal to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) seeking protection for the grove from the Riverfront Development (RFD) project.

The appeal triggered a chain of official correspondences and two critical site inspections in April. Following these visits, the Pune Forest Division recommended an immediate halt to RFD activities in and around the grove. The latest official report, now under review by the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Wildlife, Mumbai; the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Nagpur; and the Divisional Forest Surveyor, urges the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations (PMC and PCMC) to revise their river rejuvenation plans in light of the grove’s ecological importance.

On September 9, the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Pune followed up with Mumbai authorities to expedite necessary action. The report cites joint inspections conducted on April 2 with local citizens and Vandana Chaudhary, and a second inspection on April 17, 2025, with PMC officials. Evidence collected included wildlife sightings (Schedule I and II species), nesting habitats, fire damage, and illegal waste dumping.

Satellite and drone imagery, breeding documentation, and photographic records of nesting birds and temple structures further reinforced the grove’s ecological significance.

Authored by Range Forest Officer Bhambhurdha, the report documents over 1,000 heritage trees, 450+ species of flora and fauna, and 160 bird species—including several protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, such as the Bengal Monitor (Varanus bengalensis) and the Chequered Keelback Snake. It also references directives from the National Green Tribunal and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

Vandana Chaudhary welcomed the report, stating: “The investigation is moving in a good direction. We citizens have submitted everything we could to the Pune Forest Division. PMC officers verbally assured us during the April site visit that the grove will not be damaged. However, PMC and PCMC must be formally instructed to revise the Riverfront Project Plans to safeguard the biodiversity and green lungs of Aundh, Baner, and Balewadi.”

She also raised concerns that the RFD project documentation lacks ecological surveys and mandatory legal clearances under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Though absent from official forest records, the Ram-Mula Sacred Grove has emerged as a biodiversity hotspot and cultural sanctuary through citizen-led advocacy. A landmark Supreme Court ruling in December 2024 directed MoEFCC and state forest departments to map all sacred groves, notify them as ‘forest land,’ and designate them as ‘Community Reserves’ under Section 36-C of the Wildlife Protection Act.

“This sacred grove is a national precedent, especially in an urban context,” said Chaudhary. “Sacred groves are not just forests; they hold immense ecological and religious importance. While other nations prioritize climate adaptation and nature-based urban design, we must act to preserve our natural heritage. I am seeking clarification on survey and mapping processes and awaiting policy guidelines for recognizing sacred groves like Ram-Mula Devrai as ‘Community Reserves.’”

Environmentalist Hema Chari added: “Protecting Pune’s last sacred grove is about more than conservation—it’s about biodiversity, ecological balance, and cultural heritage. The grove acts as the green lungs of Aundh, Baner, and Balewadi, improving air quality, reducing urban heat, and recharging groundwater.”

In February, activists and residents staged a symbolic Chipko Movement at the site, highlighting the grove’s vulnerability. NGOs including Jeevit Nadi, Friends of Devrai, and Pune River Revival continue to campaign for riparian zone protection and ecological justice, reinforcing the urgency to safeguard Pune’s last sacred grove from urban development pressures.