JOIN THE ‘SAVE OUR SPACES’ CAMPAIGN | MAKE A CALL TO OVER 5 MUNICIPAL COUNCILLORS TODAY AND REPORT IT HERE!
You can stop the ‘Kidnapping Policy’ which is being called ‘Adoption Policy’

The BMC intends to have a policy to give legal rights and possession to private parties on our Open spaces which are owned by us. At a conservative value of Rs. 20,000 per acre it means giving away our land worth over 20,000 crores. In our country possession is de facto ownership. There are many instances in the past where these methods have led to private bodies usurping our Open Spaces on the pretext that they will adopt or take care of our grounds.

We can stop this corruption. Call up more than 5 corporators and argue with them that they should oppose this loot. Get their responses and report them with your name on this website.

On this site, you will find contact details of municipal councillors in the city at http://satyamevajayate.info/sos. Call them and ask them what their views and plans related to the new policy are. Let’s share their response (or silence) publicly, as I have done on this site here: http://satyamevajayate.info/volunteer-efforts-report

This is your chance to help promote transparency and accountability and make your voice heard!

Here are some things that you can say/ask when you call your councillor and other councillors and party leaders:

– I’d like to know whether you support the move to allow corporations, NGOs and other groups to adopt open spaces.

– What are your reasons for this?

-The total amount required to maintain these open spaces is less than 200 crores annually. The BMC’s annual budget is 400 crores and less than 200 crores are spent.

-If BMC wants citizen participation ALMs, NGOs and corporates can be given the role of monitoring and auditing the grounds. Their report should be submitted each month and deficiencies corrected and penalties imposed on the defaulting contractors.

– Our elected representatives have no right to create third party rights to private bodies.
1000+ acres worth around 20,000 crores are at stake. Do participate in this campaign and report before December 30, 2015.

If the councillors go against our interests in this matter we will take this citizen campaign in the next BMC election and campaign to defeat those who give our Open Spaces away for free.

You can read more about this issue here:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/news/an-sos-for-the-citys-ope…

http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-vested-interests-run-amok-2148198

https://orfmumbai.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/open-spaces-for-a-greener-and…

http://blogs.rediff.com/thebravepedestrian/2011/08/01/mumbai-citizens-se…

For any questions, please mail me at shaileshgan@gmail.com.

Regards,

Shailesh Gandhi
Former Central Information Commissioner