NGO hits out at BMC for breaking Shivaji Park rules

NGO Wecom trust has approached the Bombay High Court alleging that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is flouting rules by taking over the Shivaji Park ground for carrying out preparations from November 22 for the upcoming Mahaparinirvan Divas, the death anniversary of BR Ambedkar which will be observed on December 6.

The plea claims that as per government notification, the ground can be made available only between December 2 to December 7, but the corporation has already taken over the ground.

A division Bench has posted the matter for further hearing on December 1, and asked the civic body to appear before it. It also suggested that nothing can be done at the last moment, but it would try to formulate some steps to be followed for the next year.

Recently, the state government had notified events for which Shivaji Park can be used for staging public events. Wecom, a trust of residents around Shivaji Park, has filed a public interest litigation in the High Court urging it to declare the park as a silence zone and restrict public events. The petition is pending for a final hearing in the court. The Bench also asked the state to file an affidavit on the next hearing of the court, explaining its stand.