After visiting Cubbon Park on Friday, Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, visited Sankey tank on Saturday morning.
He was amazed at the beauty of the tank and its management. Members of the Sankey Tank Walkers Association (STWA) ensured that during his 45-minute interaction with the public and walk around the lake, he did not see the sewage points. He was impressed with the open-air stretching gymnasium equipment and wanted to have similar ones in most parks in Pune.
Dr A R Anand, president of the STWA, presented a memorandum to Javadekar, requesting him to ensure that no highrise building comes up near the lake as it affect the eco-system.
Eight years ago, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board had denied permission to a private realtor to construct a highrise commercial complex in the lake’s vicinity. To ensure that such projects do not come up in future, the association urged the minister to issue strict instructions.
Javadekar said that this was a state subject and promised that the eco-system in the City will not be harmed. He told the citizens that if they wanted any help any time, they could approach him directly.
Some members requested him to urge the government to ensure that there are sewage treatment plants in all lakes so that the water is not polluted and also to take stern steps to restore the inter-connectivity of lakes.
Members of the Solid Waste Management Round Table also gave a memorandum to Javadekar, requesting him to pay attention to solid waste
management in the City. They urged him to ensure that there are proper rules on solid waste management.