Mumbai: ALMs, NGOs may get back control of garden and parks

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has decided to walk in the open space policy park once again The policy drafted by BMC in 2015 had caused public outcry back then leading to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervening in the matter and putting it on hold Now following demands of environmentalists and activists to bring it back sources in the civic body told midday that BMC commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has instructed the Garden Department to study the feasibility of giving out gardens to citizens and corporates on adoption basisThe open space policy was discussed in a meeting with green activists last month following which instructions were given to the garden department to revive it revealed a civic officialFinetune itThe garden department has been asked to avoid the shortcomings of the earlier drafts make the policy more citizenfriendly and attract corporate social responsibility CSR initiatives However it is likely to allow commercial exploitation of open spaces during the afternoon just like the previous policyBMC ChiefPraveen PardeshiA senior civic official told midday While it is still in the early stages the superintendent of gardens has been asked to finetune and present a new policy which can be easily approved and does not contain any of the controversial points that faced opposition four years ago Despite repeated attempts superintendent of gardens Jitendra Pardeshi remained unavailable for commentSo weirdCitizens involved in maintaining the parks havent taken too kindly to this Bharati Kakkad from the Union Park Residents Association who was involved in maintaining one of the open spaces on adoption basis before it was taken by BMC said It is so weird that BMC first allows us to maintain the spaces and have us plead for funds and take them back when they are being maintained smoothly To add to this they have still not paid us our deposit Until a few months ago the electricity and water meters too were in our nameIf the policy returns we would want BMC to fund the maintenance We would be happy to supervise it because there is no planning and the contractors are planting trees haphazardly BMC cannot just take away the spaces and put them up for adoption once again said KakkadWill continue to opposeAsif Zakaria Congress corporator from Bandra said The entire purpose of scrapping the old policy and the CMs orders of taking back the plots given to private players is wasted The open spaces that have been made members only and private clubhouses are yet to be taken over by BMC Unless these are taken back we will continue to oppose the policyIf the commercial use of public open spaces is allowed then what is the point of giving them out on an adoption basis to residents associations BMC has lot of money and it is their duty to maintain gardens instead of pushing it on citizens he addedNew policy is likely to allow commercial use of open spaces in the afternoon just like the previous one Representation picControversial since 15The policy has been mired in controversy ever since it was introduced in 2015 when it gave private players and edge over NGOs and citizens groups to take over open spaces which reported by midday on November 19 2015 in Will your neighbourhood NGO pass this BMC test A controversial clause under the policy allowed private entities who have adopted the plots and spent Rs 3 crore on them to apply for a status change and become caretakers Activists pointed out that as caretakers the entities would have powers to construct on the land The activists had claimed the scheme was designed to give priority to companies and those with adequate money Activists had also objected to politicians being given a backdoor entry under the same policy for retaining plots they had obtained as caretakersIn 2016 following public outcry over this policy CM had directed BMC to take back all of the 216 plots given on adoption basis While BMC has been maintaining the 190odd plots since it has not been able to take back 26 plots even after four years The policy was scrapped after several politicians usurped the land they are yet to return it26No of plots BMC hasnt been able to take backCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates