Environment activists decry new DC rules allowing construction in garden spaces

PUNE Environment activists in the city, along with members of the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) garden department, have expressed concern over new unified development

PUNE Environment activists in the city, along with members of the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) garden department, have expressed concern over new unified development control rules, which allow the construction of food stalls, and swimming pools within garden premises in the city.

HT Image

The activists have stated that any kind of construction will hamper the purpose of public gardens and squeeze into the open green areas.

The state government’s Urban Development department issued a notification on Friday, December 5, approving uniform land and building development rules for local civic bodies in Maharashtra under its “Ease of doing business” plan.

Under these rules, covered under the Permissible in Proposed Reservations Garden, the state has mentioned that in addition to the main use of a garden, construction of an open swimming pool and allied constructions, including a water tank, rain water harvesting system, gardener/watchman’s quarter, small restaurant or food stalls to the extent of 20 square metres may be permitted. Total FSI used for such constructions shall not exceed 4% of the garden area.

Currently only 10 per cent of construction is allowed under existing development control rules. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had passed an order in 2015 restricting construction inside gardens.

Now, new rules have given permission to develop open swimming pools and allied constructions, including a water tank and rain-water harvesting system.

PMC’s garden department chief Ashok Ghorpade said, “The decision may squeeze the open space of the garden as food stalls or small restaurants will occupy some area and it will encourage people to come for eating. There are eateries outside the garden. There is no need to allow food stalls inside the garden. It will create an unnecessary nuisance to other people who regularly come to the garden for health purposes. At the same time PMC is providing separate swimming-pool facilities to people under public amenities. There is no need for swimming pools in garden space.”

Kill the purpose of garden

Sarang Yadwadkar, city-based environmentalist, said, “Corporations can develop swimming pools, and food stalls in amenity spaces. But here, they are pushing into garden areas. That means they don’t want to use amenity space for these social causes. They want to lease out amenity space to private players and push these amenities in garden areas. It will create a cement concrete structure in the garden and spoil the clean and green purpose of the garden. Gardens are the lungs of the city. We should take care of it.”

Civic activist Sudhir Kulkarni said, “In the case of the Sambhaji garden, NGT had pulled up PMC on issue more than 10 per cent RCC construction in the garden area and ordered excessive construction to be cleared and RCC construction to be restrained. Unified rules are creating obstacles for gardens.”

NGT order on construction in Sambhaji garden

For development in the Sambhaji garden, PMC had allowed 15 per cent construction in garden premises. However, residents had filed a litigation in NGT against construction in the Sambhaji garden in 2015

NGT gave directives to stop construction and demolish constructions in the Sambhaji garden.