The allotment of an over 18,000 sq m plot in Cuffe Parade to an exclusive gymkhana for Members of the Legislative Assembly,has come under the Bombay High Courts scanner once again. City-based NGO Janhit Manch,in addition to its earlier challenge in a PIL filed in 2003,has now contested the state governments subsequent corrigenda allotting 18,685 sq m of a 23,046 sq m plot in the Backbay Reclaimation area,that was originally reserved for a public playground. The PIL names,among others,former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh,the then revenue minister Ashok Chavan and Pramod Shende the then deputy speaker of the assembly as respondents. The petitioners stated they are the main persons who are instrumental in making,accepting and formalising the proposal. Department secretaries and other officers have virtually no role in the act. In a resolution dated December 31,2002,the government had transferred and allotted the disputed plot of land to the legislative secretariat and subsequently in January 2007 and 2008,it had issued corrigenda stating that using the powers conferred upon the government under the Maharashtra Legislative Members Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Act,2003,the plot at Cuffe Parade is transferred to the Legislative Secretariat. Janhit Manch has contended that the allocation of the plot for an exclusive gymkhana for MLAs violates the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act,1966,the Development Control Regulations,1991 and various provisions in the Constitution of India. They have,therefore,sought quashing of the amendment transferring the plot to the legislative secretariat and the initial grant of Rs 5 crore from the state government. The petitioners stated that the government has overlooked the sentiments of the residents of the locality who are in need of a good playground and allotted the plot to pamper its MLAs who,even otherwise,enjoy a number of perks at the cost of the state exchequer. According to the petitioners,the plot adjoining the World Trade Centre is valued at Rs 230 crore and the government had transferred it to the legislative secretariat without a charge which would never be done in case the land was to be given to an NGO. Moreover,the petition cites a newspaper report in which Shende,the main promoter of the Gymkhana,was quoted as saying the gymkhana would be lavish and include a golf course,a badminton court,a swimming pool and residential suites. The state,which is reeling under the debt trap of Rs 83,000 crore,whose people do not have pure drinking water,passable roads,sanitation,rural health centres and two meals to eat a day,the state where thousands of children die of hunger and malnutrition and do not have proper schooling facilities and thousands of women die during pregnancies and childbirths due to lack of medical facilities,needs more funds for general welfare schemes than MLAs Gymkhana, Janhit Manch has stated in the PIL. The PIL is likely to be heard by the court on December 20.
