Mid-Day:
Mumbai: Thursday, 19 November 2015.
The BMC's
strongest defence of its RG-PG policy is that it will bring in greater
accountability for the maintenance of the city’s open spaces under the RTI Act.
But this claim falls flat, according to former Central Information Commissioner
Shailesh Gandhi, who said there is simply no provision under the RTI Act for
this.
“The BMC said
that the agreements for the maintenance of the grounds will contain a clause
putting them under the ambit of the RTI Act, but that will not be in
concurrence with the law, said Gandhi.
He added that
the civic body had launched similar schemes in the past that had allowed others
to grab the land and make profits out of it. “Earlier also, under various
titles like the Caretaker policy, plots were given out to organisations. Over a
period of time, various permissions were given, gymkhanas and gymnasiums came
up and people amassed wealth through them. In some instances, the NGOs taking
care of gardens were good, but rogues took over the land, as it often happens,”
explained Gandhi. The BMC can easily afford to pay the Rs 100-Rs 150 crore it
will take to maintain the grounds on its own, said Gandhi, adding, “At least,
if the plots remain with the BMC, there is a feeling of combined ownership and
we still hold some claim on the spaces. That’s why this new policy is
irrelevant.”
The ex-CIC
chief said the new RG-PG policy is not as atrocious as previous schemes, but
that does not mean they should accept it. Countering the BMC’s claims that it
is pushing for the new policy to introduce more accountability and to encourage
more public participation in the upkeep of gardens, he said, “If the BMC wants
public participation in designing and maintaining gardens, that can always be
done without a policy.”
Some have
qualms that that the policy will favour corporates, with their deep pockets and
great influence, but the BMC said the policy would give greater preference for
citizens’ groups and NGO. Gandhi remained unconvinced: “BMC says the policy
will give preference to citizens’ groups over corporates. How? Why has that not
been mentioned in the policy? Why has this been left open to the interpretation
of a BMC official, and therefore so subjective?”
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