Mahim Nature Park being grabbed by industrialist: Sena in

The Shiv Sena today said in the Maharashtra Legislative Council that an influential industrialist was trying to grab the Mahim Nature Park (MNP) land for his project.

During a debate on Mumbai's Development Plan for 2014-2034, Anil Parab (Sena) said very less open space is now left in Mumbai and the area under mangroves is shrinking by each passing day.

"An influential industrialists is trying to grab the land atthe Mahim Nature park," he said.

The state government has come under fire from the Opposition as well as citizens for proposing to bring the Mahim Nature Park under the redevelopment area for Dharavi slums.

The MNP is spread over 16.86 hectares and is home to hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, reptiles and trees.

The state Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has proposed the Mahim Nature Park to be included in the project to increase the land available for redevelopment of Dharavi slum.

BJP MLC Prasad Lad said the government should allocate a plot equal in size to MNP in the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) and develop a garden.

During the debate, Praveen Darekar (BJP) referred to rising pollution in rivers Mithi, Oshiwara and Poisur in Mumbai.

He said though the government was willing to allocate funds to clean these rivers, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which is flush with funds does not have the mindset to spend them.

Meanwhile, Parab also voiced the Sena's opposition to the Metro III carshed at Aarey Milk Colony.

"Though the Metro project is the need of the hour, the government would have to spend Rs 1,800 crore if the Metro carshed is shifted to Bhandup," Parab said.

The Sena member further demanded bifurcation of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority for Mumbai city and and the Mumbai Suburban district.

"Any SRA slum redevelopment project takes at least 10 to 12 years to complete," he said.

On the decibel level restrictions imposed by the Bombay High Court for Sena's annual Dushehra rally at Shivaji Park, the Sena MLC said many cases have been filed over alleged violations of decibel levels in the last five years.

"On any given day in Mumbai, the decibel levels even at 2 AM are above 72 decibels," he said.

Commenting on the high court verdict on razing top floors of buildings coming under the funnel zone of the Mumbai airport, Parab said the decibel level in his area due to flying aeroplanes is 138 decibels, while the same noise levels at 3 AM is 154 decibels.

Parab said though he was facing a string of cases over alleged violation of the noise levels at Shivaji Park rallies, the HC pleads helplessness when it comes to high decibel levels caused by aeroplanes.

Parab said his sleep was getting disturbed in night and that even the residents were unable to redevelop their buildings which are on the verge of collapse.

He said chief ministers hailing from outside Mumbai have no love for the city and they treat it as a hen that lays the golden egg.

The debate remained inconclusive.