Don’t Blame the Rain: Pune’s Floods Are a Man-Made Disaster

By Nilesh Rajendra Rokade
Pune, 5th June 2025: Every year on June 5th, we celebrate World Environment Day across the globe. On this day, governments and organizations issue various advisories to raise public awareness about environmental conservation – “Avoid using plastic,” “Plant more trees,” “Save water,” and so on.

However, this year, my message is not aimed at the general public. It is directed toward the administration, city planners, ministers, and decision-makers – because the real responsibility of protecting the environment lies with those who shape policies and enforce them.

Environmental protection is not solely the responsibility of citizens. If appropriate decisions are not made at higher levels, the small efforts of the common man will always fall short. The crises we are facing today are clear indicators of this.

This year, just four to five days of rain turned the entire city of Pune into a flood zone. Streets, societies, shops, and other areas were submerged. Is this solely due to climate change? No – it is largely the result of poor planning and ecologically harmful decisions made by humans. Natural streams, small water channels, and drainage paths have been carelessly blocked. While granting permissions to the builder lobby, the city administration gave little to no thought to environmental impact. Green spaces are being buried under layers of cement, and as the city becomes “smarter,” nature is being pushed toward collapse.

In this context, we must not treat Environment Day as a mere formality. Planting trees alone is not enough. We need to revisit our definition of development. We need stricter laws, inclusion of environmental experts in policy-making, and, most importantly, a shift in mindset – from seeing nature as an obstacle to progress, to accepting it as an integral part of sustainable growth.

The beautification projects along riverbanks must be stopped. Rivers are not just aesthetic features – they are lifelines. The remaining green spaces in our cities must be preserved, because in the near future, even clean air to breathe might become scarce. Every new development project must include open spaces that support biodiversity. Strict action must be taken against those who cut down trees, and the plantation of indigenous species must be made mandatory. Existing environmental laws need to be updated to match current challenges, and implemented strictly.

If we ignore all of this today, our children will ask us tomorrow – “What did you do when nature was being destroyed?” And we won’t have any answers. This is the time – not for more speeches, but for real action.

Let us not celebrate this World Environment Day just as another event, but mark it as the beginning of bold decisions for protecting nature and securing our children’s future.

(Nilesh Rajendra Rokade is president – Pune Environmental Department (RPI – A))