City has only 21% of required green lungs…….Yogesh Naik
Govt Eyes Salt Pans,CRZ-II Areas
Govt Eyes Salt Pans,CRZ-II Areas
Mumbai: The state government plans to convert a lot of no-development zones (NDZs) in the city into recreation grounds and playgrounds.The reservation of several such NDZs is likely to be implemented in the next Development Plan (DP),which will be released in 2014.
While speaking in the legislature on Tuesday,chief minister Prithviraj Chavan admitted that the number of such grounds in Mumbai had reduced tremendously.According to the state government,the area of both recreation areas and playgrounds in the island city should be 0.2 hectares per 1,000 persons,while in the suburbs the ratio should be 1.6 hectares per 1,000 persons.
Officials said that Mumbaikars have only 21 per cent of the needed recreation grounds and playgrounds.
As such,Mumbai needs 5,600 hectares of such grounds but,in reality,teh city has about 1,200 hectares only.The shortfall is nearly 80 per cent.
A senior government officer said that the next DP may include a plan to convert a lot of NDZs into either recreation grounds or playgrounds.These can include some part of the over 2,000 hectares of salt pans and CRZ-II areas.
Former IPS officer-turned-lawyer Y P Singh said,A lot of NDZs have already been dereserved and converted into residential zones in Wadala,Jogeshwari and Goregaon.Many other NDZs and recreation ground areas in Juhu,Andheri and Goregaon have already been converted into tourist development zones.In a recreation ground,one can make a club house or get it converted into a tourist development zone (as in the case of a popular club in Juhu) as it allows construction over 15 per cent of the ground.In other words,it gives a backdoor entry to builders trying to grab these plots.
NGO Citispace convener Neera Punj said,If you look at Mumbais quality of life,infrastructure and amenities,all have depleted rapidly.If we continue at the current rate,Mumbai will be a dead city.But there is hope for Mumbai if the CM makes NDZs as recreation areas and playgrounds.
A retired chief secretary said,It has been observed that successive governments have sold recreation ground and playground plots to private parties during elections for raising funds.Besides,if the NDZs are converted into such grounds,there is a cabal of politicians,builders and middlemen who want to take over these plots on a caretaker basis and then convert them into clubs,like the Matoshree club in Jogeshwari.This must be prevented.
* CHOKING ON CONCRETE: Mumbai needs 5,600 hectares of recreation areas and playgrounds but,in reality,the city has about 1,200 hectares only.The shortfall is nearly 80 per cent
* CHOKING ON CONCRETE: Mumbai needs 5,600 hectares of recreation areas and playgrounds but,in reality,the city has about 1,200 hectares only.The shortfall is nearly 80 per cent