Pune: Supreme Court Rejects Petition Against Mula-Mutha River Rejuvenation Project

Pune, 4th April 2023: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed against the Mula-Mutha River rejuvenation project. The court’s order stated that the petition did not provide sufficient facts to interfere.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is undertaking a project to beautify the banks of the Mula-Mutha river, which flows through the city, under the project. Representatives of environmental organizations had filed a petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) claiming that it violated environmental norms. However, the NGT rejected the petition in November, and work on the project began.

While dismissing the petition, the court stipulated that the permission of the Environment Department should be obtained if any changes are made to the plan. However, environmental expert Sarang Yadwadkar objected and demanded that the NGT stop the river bank improvement project.

Yadwadkar again appealed to the NGT in January, claiming that the municipal corporation did not fulfill environmental requirements within the given timeframe. The NGT rejected this demand. Yadwadkar then approached the Supreme Court, which dismissed the petition for lack of sufficient issues.