ERASING ENCROACHMENTS
Garden plan for Jogeshwari caves
Mumbai: If the Maharashtra government has its way, then the area around the 6th century AD Jogeshwari cavesinfested with encroachmentsmay soon sport a sprawling garden. The state on Wednesday submitted an action plan to the Bombay high court that proposes to remove unauthorised structures and designate the land freed from encroachments as a garden.
A division bench of Justice J N Patel and Justice K K Tated, which is hearing a PIL seeking the protection of ancient caves, has restrained subordinate courts from entertaining any application filed by the affected encroachers for a stay on their eviction. This means that such persons will have to approach the high court. The court has asked the state to submit a progress report in three months.
Government pleader Dharyasheel Nalavade submitted an affidavit by Manu Srivastava, urban development department, which details the action to be jointly implemented by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), state government and the BMC for removing the unauthorised structures and rehabilitating eligible slumdwellers. If the land owners opt for building rights in the form of TDR, then they will be responsible for rehabilitation. If they do not opt for TDR, then the state will acquire the land and rehabilitate those living in protected structures. The ASI, would simultaneously approach the government to notify the demarcated area as a garden.
The Jogeshwari caves is one of the biggest rock-cut cave temples in India. Over the years, the surrounding area has been encroached upon. In a report, the ASI had mentioned that a slum colony exists on top of the caves and sewage water from the slum had chipped away the temples soft volcanic ash rocks. TNN