Greens lambast BMC’s zonal draft masterplan for National Park

While the primary objective of developing the ZMP, according to the 2016 notification, was to safeguard the ecology of the forest, those raising concerns allege that the demarcation of the eco-sensitive zones and allowing various different activities in the park has defeated the purpose

MUMBAI: With the extended deadline to submit suggestions and objections to the BMC’s draft zonal master plan (ZMP) for Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) ending on October 17, the various stakeholders are now awaiting the dates of the public hearing. A civic official said that the BMC would soon start collating the objections received through different channels and then decide on a date for the public hearing, after Diwali.

Greens lambast BMC’s zonal draft masterplan for National Park

Among the many who submitted suggestions and objections was the Urban Centre Mumbai led by conservation architect and urban planner Pankaj Joshi. “We strongly object to the fact that the draft masterplan identifies and virtually justifies industrial, commercial, residential, and several other uses within eco-sensitive zone boundaries by proposing to regulate them,” he said.

While the primary objective of developing the ZMP, according to the 2016 notification, was to safeguard the ecology of the forest, those raising concerns allege that the demarcation of the eco-sensitive zones and allowing various different activities in the park has defeated the purpose. “The draft master plan uses a distorted lens for a planned distribution of land use, whereby it uses the classification of ‘developed’ and ‘undeveloped’ areas within the ESZ and conveniently indicates only 10.42% as the eco-sensitive zone of the total area, absurdly under the umbrella of developed land,” said Joshi. “We strongly object to the usage of terms like ‘developed’ and ‘undeveloped’ in the context of the eco-sensitive zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which sounds a big warning of the intent of such a devious master plan.”

Other activists have also highlighted their concerns. “The draft plan has loosely used terms such as “general businesses” to be allowed in ESZ 2. These businesses need to be specified,” said Amrita Bhattacharjee, an environmental activist.

The plan has also failed to identify and mark the tribals in the forests while showing a 75-acre plot in Marol Maroshi as the rehabilitation point. “The tribals from the village wanted to raise their objections; however, the unavailability of the plan in Marathi is a hurdle,” said Dinesh Habale, member of the Tribals Rights Committee. Municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani confirmed that there were no plans to release the plan in Marathi.