This August 15, we’re calling for a different kind of independence. Independence from FUEL. Do Paiyyon wali Azadi. Will you join us? More cyclists = less air pollution = better health! Find your city’s petition below. Join the revolution, and share with your friends.. On August 15, take your cycle and get out on the streets. Bring your friends along*. Share photos. Tag us @jhatkaadotorg #ResetWithCycling. Let’s demand independence from fuel, together. *Please adhere to lockdown rules in your city, wear a mask and maintain social distancing

Update : Nashik traffic Police division has started taking action against illegal parking on footpath and cycling track. With the steady rise of competitive cycling over last decade and sudden surge in bicycling in the city during lockdown, Nashik has seen a huge spike in bicycle users. While groups like Nashik Cyclists are arranging cycling events on the outskirts of the city, cycling infrastructure within the city is either missing or being misused for other purposes like parking of vehicles. Out of the 8-km cycling track from Ashok Stambh to Papaya Nursery, the first 1.5 kilometer track was completed 2 years ago. However no cyclists have been able to make use of it because it is instead being used as a parking space by vehicle-owning citizens. In fact, Jhatkaa.org visited the site and asked citizens about this, and shockingly many of them replied that they don’t even know that the lane is a cycling track. Cyclists and especially students have to either use the busy road or the footpath while cycling. It can be avoided easily by Making the existing cycling track (Ashok Stambh to Pinnacle Mall) continuous. Adding the signboards on the cycling track to avoid parking on the track. While the Smart City team wants to promote cycling within the city, there is no infrastructural work done justifying those intentions. If Smart City wants to see the cyclists using these lanes either for commute or for recreational activities, there is a need to 1. Install continuous lane separator on the existing cycling track (Ashok Stambh to Pinnacle Mall) 2. Add the signboards on the cycling track to avoid parking/riding on the track. 3. Prioritize the construction of a dedicated cycle lane from Pinnacle Mall to Papaya Nursery While citizens and organizations are putting a lot of effort into making sure that this city remains smoke free from vehicular pollution, we expect Smart City and other administrative bodies to ensure these efforts are multiplied with a robust infrastructure. ..........................End of Petition.......................... Jhatkaa.org is working towards the dream of creating livable cities in Maharashtra. Working towards developing cycling infrastructure and documenting the cycling cultures of different cities of Maharashtra is core of our strategies. Support our work by donating for our campaigns on this link - https://jhatkaa.org/donate/?event=cycling-friendly-maharashtra

* Hyderabad Pharma city: A proposal to set up a cluster of more than 1,500 water-guzzling, red category pharmaceutical industries, one adjacent to the other. * Aimed to be established in 19,333 acres of fertile agricultural zone covering 12 panchayats and their hamlets, the proposed Project area is surrounded by 13 reserve forests containing endangered species like leopards… * The area is known for paddy, fresh vegetables, flowers, fruits and dairy supplying majorly to Hyderabad region. * Needless to say, Pharma City is a disaster in making which will cause enormous ecological damage, destruction of thousands of rural livelihoods, loss of biodiversity, loss of food security and damage to health of future generations. * Telangana government is hard-selling the Hyderabad Pharma city by claiming zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology. * But experience tells us that ZLD is a euphemism for effluent pumping into injection wells, rogue dumping by effluent tankers and secret pipelines. * Telangana and Hyderabad for decades have been facing pollution from Pharma industries with places like Patancheru becoming famous as the World’s most Polluted places. * Locals have been opposing the Pharma City project because of its potential to destroy local natural resources, including agricultural lands, forests, groundwater, tanks and lakes and a major loss of livelihoods. * The project will not just impact the 12 villages but will cause ecological destruction for the entire region including the city of Hyderabad impacting health and lives of millions of people. * The permissions for the project were brought in without the consent of the local people, by scuttling the Public hearing process successfully and by submitting falsified data and information to the Central Government. * Land for the project is being taken by force putting aside all legal procedures. * Officials are resorting to blackmail to acquire farmlands. * And the local farmers opposing the project were arrested in the middle of the night and still not given bail. * Hence this Petition. For more information please visit https://saynotopharmacity.wordpress.com/