10 public spaces in city still in control of private parties

MUMBAI: Of the 216 plots in the city marked as open spaces, 10 are still in the control of private parties, mainly politicians who are refusing to let go

MUMBAI: Of the 216 plots in the city marked as open spaces, 10 are still in the control of private parties, mainly politicians who are refusing to let go. The 10 lost plots are the result of the BMC’s controversial caretaker policy of earlier years, where plots were handed over to private citizens ostensibly to maintain.

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Fearing a repeat of the past and reintroduction of the tainted caretaker policy, prominent citizens and activists have given a clarion call to meet on Thursday to prevent the BMC from reviving this controversial policy in which several private players brazenly usurped Mumbai’s parks and playgrounds without any public consultation.

The apprehension first set in when activists learnt of MLA Ameet Satam’s letter to CM Eknath Shinde dated May 6. Satam mentioned that on May 4 when MP Gajanan Kirtikar held a meeting with Shinde, there was a discussion on the open spaces policy, on which the final draft would be prepared by the BMC by the end of May.

Satam, in his letter, emphasised the private members bill moved by MLA Ashish Shelar, demanding that the maintenance of open spaces should be made an obligatory duty of BMC. “The government had then promised to table a bill on this,” stated the letter. “The then CM Devendra Fadnavis had stayed the caretaker policy and ordered that all open spaces be taken back from private parties by the BMC.”

While the BMC chooses to use the terms “adoption” and “caretaker” policy, activists call it a “kidnap” policy. Former chief information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, who is leading the campaign, said that getting back plots was difficult. “In India, possession is paramount for property, and the legal process is such that you can almost never get it vacated,” he said. “There have been so many plots usurped by private players in the last 35 years. The BMC is saying they cannot look after the open plots. That way BMC cannot even look after its own roads. So, shall we give out five-km stretches to private parties to maintain?”

Gandhi added that though the activists tried to reach CM Shinde and civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal, the duo was mum on whether they were again planning to gift plots to private parties. “There has been no public consultation before formulating the policy nor has BMC invited suggestions and objections,” he said. “Even if we citizens are crying wolf, all they have to say is that they will not give away open spaces to private parties. They have been fooling people in the name of a policy for the last 35 years—obviously, their intentions are suspect.”

Nayana Kathpalia, co-convenor of NAGAR, reiterated that the BMC had ample funds to look after public spaces and suggested a ward-level committee with the ward officer, garden department, corporator and local stakeholders to oversee maintenance of public spaces by BMC-appointed contractors. “Also, the leases need to be for three to five years,” she said. “They have a policy for 11 months, but by the time an NGO raises funds, 11 months are over. The vetting of NGOs/corporates is also important, otherwise there will be fly-by-night NGOs coming up.”

Ashwini Bhide, additional municipal commissioner, when questioned, said it was too early to comment, as the policy was still being framed by the BMC.

Activists’ meet to challenge BMC

The meeting to ensure that the BMC does not go back to the caretaker policy will be held on Thursday, May 25, at St Michael’s Church auditorium at Mahim. Among those attending will be former chief information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, former Pune municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade, RTI Activist Anil Galgali and Mahiti Adhikar Manch convenor Bhaskar Prabhu.