A team from Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL) took a boat ride on the Mula river on Wednesday afternoon to inspect the earthen road constructed by them, which was obstructing boating activity of the College of Engineering, Pune (CoEP).
The MNGL team’s visit follows DNA’s report (Dec 28; ‘MNGL road work hits CoEP boating activity’), which stated how the remnants of an earthen road constructed by MNGL in the river bed was obstructing all boating activity of the CoEP for the last 18 months.
The matter assumes significance in light of the 83rd annual boating regatta of the boat club, which is scheduled to be held on the river on January 22. The earthen road prevents CoEP students from using the entire 5-km stretch from CoEP to Holkar Bridge in Khadki.
CoEP boating club foreman, Balasaheb Kamble, had told DNA last week that MNGL had constructed an earthen road in the river between Patil Estate and Sangamwadi, directly below the new Sangamwadi bridge, in March 2010 to lay a gas pipeline.
According to Kamble, after the pipeline was laid on the Patil Estate river bank, the top portion of the road was dismantled by the company, leaving the base and rubble intact inside the river. “It is this rubble from the earthen road which is obstructing free passage of our boats towards Khadki,’’ he said.
CoEP boat club managing committee member Kunal Borse had told DNA last week, “The fins of our boats break and our students are not able to practice on the entire 5-km river stretch till Khadki.’’ The CoEP boat club has 30 racing boats and one boat with an outboard motor.
MNGL officer liaison and public relations, Rajneesh Verma had told DNA on December 27 that his company would take the necessary measures to excavate the rubble from the base of the river at the earliest. However, no action has been taken so far.
On Wednesday, Verma undertook a boat ride with his contractors, river activist Vinod Bodhankar and a DNA team to understand the problem first hand.
Verma told DNA, “We will undertake excavation activity at the earliest in view of the CoEP’s regatta on January 22.’’
