Enviornment activists in association with tribal communities held a public meeting in Jambulpada, Thane on Sunday evening over the draft zonal master plan for development in the Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
"The meeting saw 100 to 150 participants from tribal communities, enviornment activits and general public. The objective was awareness and understanding the the draft zonal master plan (ZMP) of ESZ of SGNP. Such meetings will prepare the locals for the public hearing by the civic bodies," said Nishant Bangera, a green activists from Thane.
Public meeting at Jambulpada, Thane | FPJ Photo
Tribals Object To English-Only Draft
The 353 pages draft ZMP of ESZ of SGNP was released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in September, for which citizens suggestions and objections were also called. However, the tribal communities inside the SGNP, Aarey and Yeoor have been up in arms over the plan, complaining the draft was released only in English, making it difficult for them to contemplate. The locals also claim that the draft is violation of tribal rights, and it is not only injustice against indigenous communities but also a missed opportunity to prepare Mumbai against the impacts of climate crisis.
Nine Years After Notification, Draft Sparks New Concerns
The draft ZMP has been prepared nine long years after the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) notification. The draft is prepared by the BMC’s Development Plan department and is applicable for the municipal corporations of Navi Mumbai, Thane, Mira Bhayandar, Vasai Virar and Palghar district. Around 5945 hectares of SGNP fall under the ESZ, which is partially located in the Mumbai suburban and Thane districts.
The FPJ had reported on October 16, quoting a senior official from development plan that public hearing on the draft ZMP will be heard by the respective municipal corporations and send their report to the BMC. Under the guidance of the ESC committee, BMC will prepare the final zonal master plan for the SGNP. BMC Commissioner is the chairperson of the ESZ monitoring committee.
Activists Allege Plan Favors Construction Over Conservation
Although the citizens are now waiting for the public hearing from the municipal corporations, the activists continue claiming that the plan does nothing towards conservation of eco-sensitive zone. "The list of “regulated activities” allows all types of construction activity. This itself goes against the very framework of the ESZ. Development activities are permitted in ESZ- but only for the livelihood of the local communities and not for commercial exploitation," they say.
Key Objections Raised
Some of the objections raised against the draft ZMP include: flawed sub-zoning opens ESZ for real estate development, defeating the buffer zone purpose; exclusion of 27 Adivasi padas, incorrectly labelled as 'slums', vague eco-tourism definition allows hotels/resorts construction, no strategy to protect crucial wildlife corridors, polluting industries not properly defined or restricted, among others.
