City risks losing 45 open spaces

At least 96 of the city’s environmental features, which include water bodies, open spaces, beaches and mangrove stretches, are endangered and need immediate attention, a report has revealed.

At least 96 of the city’s environmental features, which include water bodies, open spaces, beaches and mangrove stretches, are endangered and need immediate attention, a report has revealed.

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Published by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region-Environment Improvement Society (MMR-EIS), the report catalogs 45 open spaces and 36 water bodies in the critical list. Prominent water bodies such as the Mithi, Poisar and Dahisar rivers, green zones such as the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Aarey Milk Colony, the Worli sea face and Versova beach are all under threat.

Among the various factors responsible are pollutants such as sewage. In its August 28 edition, Hindustan Times had published details of the civic body’s environmental status report, which showed that water contamination off the city’s coasts was high.

The MMR-EIS report also highlights the pitiable state of open spaces. Mumbaiites have access to only 35% of the 2,968 hectares of open space designated in the city’s development plan. Urban planner Neera Adarkar, who conducted the study on open spaces, said: “Even open spaces accessible to the public are not managed well.”