The Maharashtra Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s controversial plan to include Maharashtra Nature Park (MNP) within the area reserved for the redevelopment of Asia’s biggest slum — Dharavi. Even though a portion of the MNP is notified as a protected forest, its move in Dharavi is being opposed by several conservationists as well as Shiv Sena, whose legislative wing wrote to CM Devendra Fadnavis seeking a restoration of the push.
The SRA had proposed to include the nature park, spread over 16.8 hectares, in the development of Sector 5 of Dharavi. It claimed the nature park would not be altered in its inclusion in the area to be redeveloped. The project involves resettlement of nearly 60,000 slum structures in planned habitats grouped into five sectors.
Issuing a notice in this regard on March 5, SVR Srinivas, CEO, and Officer on Special Duty, Dharavi Redevelopment Project also invited the suggestions and objections from the public as it is the planning authority of the redevelopment project.
Shiv Sena’s Industries Minister Subhash Desai told that no inclusion of the MNP in the Dharavi Redevelopment Project will be permitted under any circumstances. Shiv Sena also demands that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) does not transfer any land to the SRA for the nature park. Its objective is to declare the nature park as a protected site so that such proposals are not entertained in future as well.
The land on which MNP stands was used as a dumping yard till the late 1970s when environmentalists and activists joined hands with the government to transform it into a small forest. With the inclusion of MNP, the total area under the Dharavi project would increase from 155 hectares to 172 hectares. Under the public-private partnership model, the government has allowed a buildable area of four times the total plot area to push the redevelopment project.
Share
Tweet
