A group of concerned citizens has taken action by sending an 'open letter' to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and BMC Chief IS Chahal. The citizens express their worries about the lack of consultations regarding the open space policy and request the intervention of the Chief Minister to prevent backdoor entry and ensure the mandatory maintenance of open spaces by the BMC. A report regarding the same was published in the Free Press Journal.
Background on Open Space Policy
Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar and BJP MP Gopal Shetty recently requested the Chief Minister's intervention to lift the stay on the open space policy, which allows transfer on a "caretaker and adoption" basis. This policy had been scrapped around eight years ago during Fadnavis's tenure due to misuse of such spaces. Chief Minister Shinde had instructed BMC Chief Chahal to present a final draft of the policy by the end of the month.
Citizens' Concerns and Opposition to the Policy
The open letter, signed by various individuals including former central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi and NAGAR trustee Nayana Kathpalia, expresses opposition to the open space policy, labeling it as a "hijacking" policy. The citizens commend Fadnavis for wisely halting the policy. They raise concerns about encroachments on prominent plots under the pretext of "adoption and caretaker" arrangements.
Importance of Public Consultations
The citizens stress the need for public consultations before finalizing the open space policy. While acknowledging an earlier advertisement inviting suggestions and objections, they emphasize the importance of including the public in the decision-making process. They argue that the BMC has sufficient funds to maintain open spaces and has previously awarded contracts for their upkeep. The citizens propose the formation of a small group comprising all stakeholders to ensure checks and balances and advocate for limiting structures to gardener's huts and preventing commercialization.
Revival of the Private Member's Bill
The open letter calls for the revival of a private member's bill proposed by BJP MLA Ashish Shelar. This bill aims to make the maintenance and caretaking of public open spaces a mandatory duty of the BMC, rather than an optional one.
Seeking Comments and Response
Attempts were made to obtain comments from Chief Minister Shinde, BMC Chief Chahal, and MLA Ashish Shelar regarding the present status of the open spaces, but no response was received at the time of reporting.
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