Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) general body meeting witnessed uproarious scenes yet again over the rejection of the proposal to acquire six plots (five in Poisar, one in Malad) for recreational purposes on Monday. Previously, the Sena-led improvements panel, headed by corporator Dilip Lande, had not cleared the proposal on the grounds that the land parcels were full of encroachments and would be of no use to the civic body.
However, the same panel had passed a proposal last month, to acquire a 1,500 sqm plot reserved for a primary school and garden in Malad. The leader of the Opposition in the House and Congress corporator Ravi Raja said, “The proposal rejected for the six plots should be reopened and reservation should be maintained. The Shiv Sena has not clearly stated its stand on the matter,” he added.
However, Lande accused Raja of misleading the House, saying, “216 plots have been acquired so far, but none of them has been developed. We don’t oppose acquisition, but the BMC should rehabilitate encroachers first.” This has also been the stand taken by Lande on previous occasions.
Notably, Lande had come under fire last month for rejecting a proposal to acquire a Kurla plot that was meant to house a playground. However, it later emerged he owned a house on the same plot. The House echoed with slogans of ‘Shor Hai Bhai Shor Hai, Lande Mama Chor Hai’. Earlier, the opposition has written to the municipal commissioner, seeking a reversal of the order. According to the BMC, the purchase notice to acquire these pieces of land was issued in 2018.