Tribunal to stop misuse of Mumbai’s open spaces

Even as activists express scepticism over the purpose of the new open spaces policy, the civic body on Tuesday proposed to set up a tribunal to monitor citizen complaints about the misuse of open spaces in the city.

Even as activists express scepticism over the purpose of the new open spaces policy, the civic body on Tuesday proposed to set up a tribunal to monitor citizen complaints about the misuse of open spaces in the city.

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The tribunal, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed, will ensure that malpractices in the name of protecting open spaces are curbed.

The plan is an attempt to stop the storm of protests building up against the proposed policy, which is a modified version of the controversial caretaker policy.

In its Tuesday edition, HT had published some details of the draft policy. However, citizens’ groups believe that bringing back a modified caretaker policy, even one in which citizens have a say, will not work.

Neera Punj, convener, Citispace, said: “There is no need for the BMC to hand over open spaces to private players when it has enough money to maintain them.”

The state had stayed the caretaker policy in 2007, following citizen protests. The new provision was put in place at the recommendation of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan. “There have been legitimate concerns about plots being usurped by private players who were given plots on a caretaker basis.