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Shiv Sena, opposition flay government move to ‘concretise’ Mahim Nature Park
Mumbai, March 21 (IANS) Mahatashtra’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party came under fire on Wednesday from its ally Shiv Sena, the Opposition and environmentalists for its proposal to include a portion of the famed Mahim Nature Park as part of the redevelopment of Dharavi, Asia’s biggest slum.
Five cabinet ministers – Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote, Ramdas Kadam, Deepak Sawant, Eknath Shinde – and the Sena’s chief whip Sunil Prabhu submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late on Tuesday, demanding withdrawal of the February 28 notification issued by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority and an assurance that the nature park’s land would not be utilized by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority for redevelopment purposes.
Building up pressure, Yuva Sena President Aditya Thackeray visited MNP on Wednesday morning and attacked the move to convert the green corridor into a concrete jungle. His visit came on the occasion of World Forest Day which is being celebrated globally.
“The MNP must remain a nature park always. Destruction of environment cannot be called ‘development.’ If the MMRDA cannot manage, then hand it over to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation. We will keep it beautiful,” he said.
Decrying what he termed as “monetising of Mumbai’s open spaces”, Thackeray pointed out that more than four decades ago, the MNP, spread over nearly 42 acres, was a dumping ground for garbage on which the park was developed.
“Now the government wants to make it a concrete dumping ground and hand it over to builders. Is the CM aware of all this? If yes, why there is no objection to chopping down trees,” he asked.
Former union minister Milind Deora, of the Congress, also castigated the plans saying never before has the Maharashtra government held a brief for builders and brazenly tried to encroach on Mumbai’s open spaces.
“MNP today, Priyadarshini Park tomorrow. Wake up Mumbai. Let’s reclaim our public spaces by getting rid of these crooks,” Deora tweeted.
According to the SRA’s plans, the nature park – a part of which is a notified forest – is proposed to be included in the Dharavi redevelopment project to increase the land availability.
A notification was issued in February inviting suggestions/objections from the public for the proposal involving resettlement of around 60,000 slum tenements in planned habitats over five sectors.
The SRA move – which would increase the land availability for the Dharavi redevelopment project from 155 to 172 hectares – came even as Fadnavis warned against misuse or commercialization of the open spaces in the city.
Developed painstakingly from a dumping ground adjacent to the Mahim Creek for a decade, the MNP was opened for public in 1992 and now over 150,000 people visit it annually. Part of it was declared a protected forest in 1991.
An oasis of greenery in the heart of the city, the MNP houses 580 species of plants, 123 recorded birds species, 78 types of butterflies, 22 species of reptiles and amphibians, and more than 30 species of spiders and other insects.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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