Skip to main content

Vadodara redevelopment "polluting" river Vishwamitri's environs

By Rajiv Shah 
Several senior environmentalists and academics of Vadodara have written an open letter to the Municipal Commissioner, Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), asking the administration to take immediate steps to “immediately stop demolition, tree felling and clearing of vegetation, dumping of debris, discharge of untreated sewage, dredging, digging, filling, leveling, construction, etc. along the city’s Vishwamitri river and its environs.”
The letter – copies of which have been sent to senior officials of the Government of India and the Gujarat government – wants the VMC to thoroughly relook the “development” works going on in and around Vadodara City, allegedly in complete violation of Supreme Court, Gujarat High Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT), even as accusing the VMC of refusing to comply by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) order and directions of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to keep Vishwamitri and its environments clean.
The letter states, “In spite of the various directions repeatedly given by GPCB, illegal dumping of debris at Kala Ghoda Bridge near Yavteshwar Mahadev Temple, Bhimnath Bridge, Bahucharaji Nala, Bhukhi Nala, near Fast Track Court and other ravines have not been removed till date.” It adds, “Informal access paths have been created by construction vehicles to dump debris in the ravines adjoining the Bhimnath Bridge, Agora Mall, Sama, and various other places.”
It adds, “Severe and mindless disturbances to natural land forms, soils, and hydrological regimes, coupled with removal of vegetation, including significant trees, on the banks of the Bahucharaji Nala, Motnath pond, near the Fast Track Court area, and at various other public and individual private properties are ongoing nonchalantly as a normal practice.”
The letter says, “For road widening or extension and construction of flyovers and bridges, removal of ecologically significant vegetation/tree cover is taken for granted instead of planning and designing of projects with due respect to these assets of the city, especially in the emerging climate change scenarios.”
The letter cites the NGT order dated May 25, 2016, which “restrained from proceeding further with any construction or development activity within the area of Vishwamitri Riverfront Development Project (VRDP)”, even as referring to the SEIAA asking the VMC to “maintain status quo and shall not carry out any further construction and development enabling activities within the area of VRDP until and unless the prior Environmental Clearance is obtained.”
The letter argues that the “current fad” of beautification is “sheer tyranny on natural systems and stamp-pad kind of ugly imposition by the bureaucracy without any serious consideration for natural system, cultural history, users’ participation, contextual fit, or design principles”, adding, “Crores of rupees are spent without any public participation, proper consideration of ecological factors, or good design sense.”
The letter wonders, “Where the debris of the small and big demolished buildings and structures of various kinds are going? Where did demolition debris of Jan-mahal site, the Nataraj and Rajeshri cinema halls go? Where is the waste swept from the roads and open spaces of Vadodara everyday being dumped? Where does all the waste collected during various ‘cleanliness drives’ go?”
Further asking, “Who gives them permission? Why is the waste being allowed to be burned illicitly or otherwise, near Ratri Bazaar, for example) spewing toxic smoke in the air?”, the letter states, “The Vadodara Smart City website lists 64 projects (with estimated cost of Rs 2,906 crore). An overwhelming 42 of these projects are infrastructure development related projects.”
It wants “a complete re-look and re-design of all the on-going and not-so-well thought out demolition activities, clean-up drives, and so-called development projects”, adding, “All the projects should be comprehensively integrated with overall development and/or plans and must not be imposed as isolated intervention handled by different departments and agencies.”
Those who have signed the letter include senior environmentalist Rohit Prajapati, landscape architect Dr Shishir R Raval, zoologist Dr Ranjitsinh Devkar, wetland ecologist Dr Deepa Gavali, botanist Dr Jitendra Gavali, environmental and urban planner Neha Sarwate, biotechnologist Dr Arjun Singh Mehta, and hydro-geologist Dr Jayendra Lakhmapurkar.

Comments

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Overriding India's constitutional sovereignty? Citizens urge PM to reject WHO IHR amendments

By A Representative   A group of concerned Indian citizens, including medical professionals and activists, has sent an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to reject proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) before the ratification deadline of July 19, 2025. 

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.