Mahakali residents win battle for garden lease renewal ….Sukhada Tatke I TNN
Mumbai: Heres an example of citizens efforts paying off. Even after being given the runaround for almost three years to renew the adoption lease of a local garden, members of the Mahakali Advanced Locality Management (ALM) in Andheri (E) did not give up. On Friday, they finally got the nod from the BMC and secured a new contract.
The Mahakali ALM had created a garden from a dumping ground in 2000. But in 2005, when the five-year contract ended, the BMC kept giving one excuse after another, denying them permission to renew the lease. However, after regular rounds of the local ward office and the headquarters, the residents finally managed to get their lease extended.
Usually, the BMC blames delays in renewal of garden adoption contracts on complaints against the trust (maintaining the garden), missing reports or the trust failing to submit important papers during the renewal process. But the Mahakali ALM had impeccable credentials since the start.
After our lease expired, the BMC carried out an inspection. We were also asked for our previous approved plans. But even after submitting all the documents, the clearance took so long to come, said Ramesh Khatoo, who is associated with the ALM. Even in the beginning, it was not a smooth ride. The BMC kept rejecting our renewal applications over trivial issues, like being asked to make changes to our application, submit a map and other formalities. But now, we are happy that it is finally done, he added.
After our lease expired, the BMC carried out an inspection. We were also asked for our previous approved plans. But even after submitting all the documents, the clearance took so long to come, said Ramesh Khatoo, who is associated with the ALM. Even in the beginning, it was not a smooth ride. The BMC kept rejecting our renewal applications over trivial issues, like being asked to make changes to our application, submit a map and other formalities. But now, we are happy that it is finally done, he added.
The ALM members were, however, a bit upset that they had to pay Rs 25,000 as safety deposit in accordance with a policy drafted on December 2, 2006. Considering that our lease expired a year before the policy, we should have been eligible for extension of the lease without paying the amount. We had to pay for the delay caused by the BMC, said Vishwanath Shetty, trustee of the Mahakali ALM.
The Mahakali residents had initially raised money by organising a cultural show. Then, funds came from the then MP, the late Sunil Dutt, and MLA Suresh Shetty. Today, the twoacre plot has been transformed into a garden with 150 trees and 250 flowering shrubs, a small wooded area and a pergola for yoga classes.
The ALM also conducts cultural events, walkathons and karate classes to bring people of the locality together.
EFFORTS PAY OFF: The Mahakali citizens forum had created a garden from a dumping ground in 2000