PETITION TO SAVE EMPRESS BOTANICAL GARDEN, PUNE

To,

The Chief Minister,

Government of Maharashtra

Subject: Urgent Appeal to Protect Empress Botanical Garden from Land Diversion

We, the undersigned citizens of Pune and concerned environmentalists, strongly oppose the Government Resolution (GR) dated March 6, 2026, which proposes the allocation of approximately one acre of the historic Empress Botanical Garden for court infrastructure development.

Established in the 1840s, the Empress Botanical Garden is a 39-acre ecological treasure and one of Pune’s most significant green lungs. For over 130 years, it has been carefully preserved and maintained without government funding by a dedicated trust. Today, it stands not only as a heritage site but as a vital biodiversity park supporting hundreds of plant species, birds, and urban wildlife.

Our Key Concerns:

Irreversible Environmental Loss
Even a partial diversion of land will disrupt fragile ecosystems and reduce green cover in an already congested urban area.

Threat to Biodiversity
The garden serves as a critical habitat for numerous species. Fragmentation of this space will have long-term ecological consequences.

Heritage and Legacy at Risk
This garden is a living legacy of Pune’s environmental history and must be preserved for future generations.

Self-Sustained Conservation Effort
The garden has been maintained for over a century without reliance on government funds, demonstrating a successful model of independent ecological stewardship.

Availability of Alternatives
Infrastructure projects such as court buildings can be planned on alternative land parcels that do not compromise ecological and heritage assets.

Our Demands:

Immediate withdrawal of the March 6, 2026 Government Resolution concerning land allocation within Empress Botanical Garden.
Declaration of the entire garden as a protected ecological and heritage zone.
Assurance that no future development projects will encroach upon this vital green space.
Transparent public consultation before any decisions impacting environmental assets are made.

Call to Action:

We urge the Government of Maharashtra to act responsibly and prioritize long-term environmental sustainability over short-term infrastructure expansion. Pune cannot afford to lose one of its most important natural sanctuaries.

Let us preserve Empress Botanical Garden — not just for today, but for generations to come.

I would like Pune citizens to come forward and sign this petition and forward to others as well.

Sincerely,

Yayati Pingale

For more details contact:

Empress Botanical Garden
Near race-course, Camp, Pune-411001

Contact no : 9607072605
020 - 29913307/08

#SaveEmpressGarden #PuneGreenLungs #ProtectOurHeritage