Comment

“While we are of the opinion that the BMC must look at self-development of the open spaces as the first resort, the option of developing these with the help of private parties should be explored as the next priority.

There is a need to develop amenities on larger playgrounds and recreation grounds for their effective utilisation. It is the obligatory duty of the civic body to develop these facilities. Private help could be sought in cases where this cannot be done.

A stay was imposed on the policy by the state in December 2007. We believe that the move was politically motivated. Even as the state government has been maintaining status quo on the issue for the past three years and has ordered the BMC not to even renew applications of plots allotted on adoption basis, it made an exception for the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). This is nothing but politics of convenience.

The BMC has now said that it will be reworking some of the conditions mentioned in the policy and will come up with a fresh guideline which will make the policy more transparent. I would like to reiterate that the stay on the policy is nothing but politics of convenience being played by the state government.”