Under a lot of flak for its controversial Recreational Ground-Playground (RGPG) policy, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to seek opinion from citizens in its attempt to improve the policy. The civic body will hold meetings with citizen groups and NGOs asking for their suggestions on the issue.
In its new RGPG policy, the BMC has scrapped the caretaker policy, which was in the eye of controversy due to misuse of open spaces. The civic body henceforth will allot opens spaces only on adoption basis which does not allow any construction on the plot. However, while doing so the BMC has decided not to interfere with the plots that have already been given on caretaker basis to various trusts controlled by political parties.
Despite protest from opposition parties, the civic improvements committee has already passed the policy. However, owing to criticism the BJP has demanded that the policy be reconsidered so that it can be improved further. Citizen groups have demanded that the civic body should maintain the open plots in the city itself rather than allotting them to private groups.
BJP corporator and improvements committee chairman Prakash Gangadhare said, “Due to lack of manpower and expertise, we have decided to allot open spaces to other agencies so that they are not encroached and maintained properly. However, we also want citizens to participate in this process. They can put forth their suggestions on how to improve the policy.”
The civic body will hold meetings with citizen groups and NGOs to seek their opinion, which will be considered for improving the policy, he added.
