Civic body to take over reins, develop garden and childrens pond

Mumbai: The Save Talao Campaign of Kolovery village residents seems to be yielding some results. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to develop the 400-year-old Kalina pond that has been filled with debris over the last 40 years.

The municipal corporation took a decision to develop the plot on its own in a meeting held on August 29,2008 that was chaired by the additional municipal commissioner (western suburbs). "The additional municipal commissioner (AMC) is in favour of the BMC developing the place on its own rather than giving it to anyone else. There was a natural formation but over the years the pond has been filled. Now, theres a plan to have a few things once we develop it," said U Mistry, assistant municipal commissioner of H/E ward.

The BMC has decided to develop a playground, an artificial talao and a childrens pond on the over 34,000 sq mt area. At present, the development plan (DP) of the plot includes a playground, a primary municipal school and a cemetery. It has also been provided with a shed for an NGO and has some encroachments on it.

"The cemetery reservation in the plan will be cancelled as the AMC is of the view that there should not be a cemetery in a residential area," said Mistry.

In October 2003,the then municipal commissioner had decided to give half the area reserved for the playground to local NGO Kalina Recreation and Sports Club (KRSC) for its development and maintenance on adoption basis while the remaining part was to be retained by the civic body itself.

The NGO moved court in 2004 for a quicker handover. Around the same time, local MLA Kripashankar Singh demanded that 300 sq mts of the area be given to the Mhada for a gymnasium.

"We now plan to submit to court that we will take the area back from the NGO and develop it on our own in the larger interest of public," said Mistry.

Local residents have consistently maintained that the entire place be converted into a pond as it was a water-holding area during monsoons.

They said its absence has disturbed the ecology of the area and therefore they want it to be revived.

In July 2006,the Kolovery Welfare Association (KWA) filed a writ petition to ensure restoration of the pond to its original condition. The court directed the BMC to study the ecological imbalance and ensure ways to avoid the flooding.
Source : DNA