Pune: With the rainy season almost over in Pune, the atmosphere has started getting colder but drier. With this, the hills and mountains around and within the city are in danger of catching forest fires. With this, a few college students were seen cooking Maggie with a bonfire in Vetal Tekdi near Kothrud. A photo of this was snapped, and the college students sparked anger on social media among netizens and environmentalists.
Hundreds of people go to Vetal Tekdi daily for a morning walk and to spend some time in nature. A place like Vetal Tekdi is very valuable in an ever-growing city like Pune, and it's right in the heart of an educational hub. On Wednesday morning, however, an unusual incident happened.
Despite Vetal Tekdi being frequented by citizens of the city, it's always protected. Volunteer organisations keep it clean and maintain the ecosystem and biodiversity of the beloved hill. They don't let people spread garbage or do anything that might hamper the hill. However, some college students, allegedly from outside Pune, went there and thought the hill was a picnic spot.
They carelessly lit a bonfire. In the captured image, it can be seen that dry plants are nearby, and even one spark of fire can cause a massive blaze. But the college students didn't care and started cooking Maggie. They had a good time and then went home. Environmentalists in the city and frequent trekkers, such as Vetal Tekdi, have raised their concerns regarding this.
Dr Sushma Date, who is a prominent Pune-based environmental activist who is leading the citizens' fight to conserve Vetal Tekdi, posted about this on X (formerly Twitter). She said, “These are educated idiots! College students light a fire to cook Maggie Noodles on a dry grassy patch of Vetal Tekdi, ignoring the warnings of people passing by that this was a fire hazard. Such idiots should be charged under the Wildlife Act.”
