VASAI-VIRAR PLAN

Its too little and too late: Citizens, environmentalists

TIMES NEWS NETWR!
Mumbai: The Vasai-Virar development plan has been approved by the state
government17 years after it was first draftedamidst criticism from environmental
groups and concerned citizens that it is too little! too late""#
Vive$ %andit of the &hram'eevi &anghatana said builders have been allowed to go
ahead with unregulated growth for almost two decades# The government has
loo$ed the other way while spaces reserved in the plan for holding-ponds! gardens
and schools were converted for commercial use!"" he said#
(arit Vasai leader Marcus )abre stated that the development control rules have
been flouted in the area for years# *ot much attention has been given to good roads
and proper civic infrastructure! as envisaged in the plan# &ections of the plan have
been modified to help certain politicians!"" he alleged#
Manvel Toscano of the *irbhay +ana Manch said it seemed to be a plan to
regularise violations of building and planning norms! he said# ,e will challenge it
in court if necessary!"" he added#
The state first appointed the Mumbai Metropolitan -egion )evelopment .uthority
as the planning authority in 1/00 but later replaced it with the 1ity and 2ndustrial
)evelopment 1orporation# . draft plan was ready in 1//3 and suggestions were
invited# .fter several twists and turns the plan has now been passed and will come
into force on March 13#
1riticising the government for the way it went about developing the plan!
1handrashe$har %rabhu! architect and city planning activist! said that the a
bottomsup approach! instead of top-down one! should have been adopted while
drafting it# The citizens of Vasai should have been consulted before the plan was
drawn up# ,hat has happened is that architects and planners have drawn up the
plan and are now see$ing suggestions from the public#"" %rabhu said e4cessive
development of the Vasai-Virar area would pose an environmental problem to
Mumbai# Vasai has an area of 510 s6$m! it is almost the size of Mumbai! which has
575 s6$m# .lmost 38 per cent of the land in Vasai is low lying or marshy# 2f too much
of filling-up and construction ta$es place! it may cause the sea to push harder at
Mumbai"s shoreline!"" he said#
(arit Vasai members! who have been actively campaigning for a balanced
environment! pointed out that in 1/00! when the plans were first drawn up! the
population was only 9 la$h# :ut the current population was around 15 la$h! and it
was li$ely to shoot up further! they said# (ence! there was a dire need for ade6uate
reservations for social! educational and civic needs in the area! they added#
;b'ections to Vasai-Virar plans invited
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI, September 3: The City and Industrial Development Corporation
(CIDCO) has invited public objections and suggestions to the draft development plans for
the Vasai-Virar regions Officials have admitted that the plans have major modifications
over those put up in !""# $ith land use reservations changed in certain areas% from an
earlier &normal urbanisable ones' to &no development (ones'% an introduction of &lo)
development' (ones and a significant decrease in the *+I for industrial use% officials agree
that in the interests of &natural justice'% people should get a chance to object to the
suggestions
Ar"#ite"ts and to$n%lanners $#ose %ro&e"ts #ave 'een #eld (% )or t#e last si*
mont#s 'e"a(se t#e %lans $ere in t#e %i%eline )ear a re%eat o) +,,-, $#en t#e
t#en %ro%osed %lans re"eived aro(nd -,... o'&e"tions/ Sin"e t#en, it #as ta0en
CI1C, t#e re2ion3s develo%ment a(t#orit4, t#ree 4ears to 'rin2 a'o(t anot#er
%lan/ T#is too, t#e4 )eel, is a r(s# &o' sin"e t#e 5r'an 1evelo%ment de%artment
re"entl4demanded t#at t#e %lans 'e s('mitted '4 Se%tem'er 6/ T#e %lans $ere
r(s#ed to t#e state 2overnment on A(2(st 7+/ 88It is li0e a 2ame o) sna0es and
ladders/ ne never 0no$s $#at $ill t(rn (% ne*t,33 sa4s an ar"#ite"t )r(strated at
t#e dela4 and t#e e*tent o) t#e "#an2es in t#e ne$ %lans/ Aro(nd +.. %ro&e"ts
#ave 'een )rozen sin"e si* mont#s des%ite most o) t#em #avin2 "om%leted all
)ormalities/ 88No$ t#e4 "ome (% and sa4 t#e 9SI )or ind(strial areas is ./6 - a
red("tion )rom t#e earlier 9SI o) + -, t#en a "olle"tor3s "learan"e #as to 'e
o'tained )or all "ases o) develo%ment/ I) 1evelo%ment Control r(les in %la"es li0e
M(m'ai, Mira-:#a4ander, T#ane-M(m'ra are develo%ment-oriented, in Vasai-
Virar it is )or "(ttin2 do$n on develo%ment,33 #e adds/
T#e inde"ision o) t#e develo%ment a(t#orities on envisa2in2 a de)inite %lan )or
t#e area #as led to no "on"rete "onstr("tion $or0 'ein2 (nderta0en in t#e last
de"ade, added t#e ar"#ite"t/ T#e %lans are s0e$ed to t#e e*tent t#at 1P
;develo%ment %lan< roads are mar0edover en"(m'ered areas, added sa4s
anot#er ar"#ite"t/ T#e over ,,... #e"tare area, )ormin2 t#e $estern arms o) t#e
M(m'ai Metro%olitan re2ion, #as a %o%(lation o) aro(nd si* la0#/ It is made (% o)
)o(r m(ni"i%al "o(n"ils - Vasai, Virar, Nalaso%ara - $#ile Nav2#ar and Mani0%(r
)orm t#e )o(rt#/ W#ile a "om'ined '(d2et o) t#ese )o(r m(ni"i%al "o(n"ils is
aro(nd Rs +.. "rore, t#e dra)t %lan $o(ld need an o(tla4 o) aro(nd Rs +,=..
"rore/
88>(st #o$ are t#e4 2oin2 to o'tain t#ese reso(r"es,33 as0s %resident o) t#e Virar
M(ni"i%al Co(n"il, Pradee% Tend(l0ar/ Wit# t#e state 2overnment3s %a(%erised
state an o%en se"ret, #e does not e*%e"t it to 'ail t#e %lan o(t/ 88T#e onl4 so(r"e
o) in"ome )or CI1C is a develo%ment lev4/ I) t#at is #o$ t#e4 intend to o'tain
)(nds )rom t#e mainl4 middle "lass %eo%le $#o "ome to reside #ere, t#en it is
im%ossi'le t#at t#e %lan $ill ever materialise,33 #e adds/ ?e "#ar2es t#at lo"al
m(ni"i%al 'odies $ere not "ons(lted $#en t#e %lans $ere 'ein2 dra)ted/ Wit#
CI1C 'ein2 (na'le to 2ivet#em "o%ies, "on)(sion rei2ns on t#e a"t(al "ontents
o) t#e %lan/ Tend(l0ar 'elieves t#at t#ere is a s"#eme )or s#i)tin2 t#e rail$a4
station and "onstr("tin2 anot#er in its %la"e/ :(t CI1C denies t#is/ 88We #ave
seen t#at it #as )ailed in Navi M(m'ai $#i"# is $#4 $e #ave not in"or%orated
s("# a %ro&e"t in t#e %lan,33 said a %lan ar"#ite"t/ ))i"ials added t#at t#e4 are
e*%e"tin2 a 2overnment 2rant )or t#e se$era2e and t#e $ater s(%%l4 s"#eme/
Tend(l0ar sa4s #e $ill ta0e a dele2ation to t#e "#ie) minister a2ainst t#e %lan,
and t#e to$n%lanners are "o(ntin2 on t#e (r'an develo%ment de%artment to
'a"0 t#em/ Wit# 51 %rin"i%al se"retar4 ! Nalina0s#an anno(n"in2 t#at it $o(ld
ta0e a de"ision on a""e%tan"e o) t#e dra)t as a )inal %lan $it#in +- da4s, all e4es
are t(rned to$ards t#e state 2overnment/

Meetin2 o) t#e Vasai Virar Ara0#ada !r(ti Samiti ;A"tion Commitee )or Plannin2 in Vasai-Virar<, >(ne =..@
In t#e metro%olitan %eri%#eries, develo%ment o)ten is s4non4mo(s $it#
mar2inalisation o) lo"al "omm(nities/ E*istin2 %oli"ies and %lans %ro%osed '4
state a2en"ies #ave res(lted in severe e*%ro%riation o) t#e "omm(nit4-'ased
and nat(ral reso(r"es in t#e Vasai Virar S('-Re2ion ;VVSR<, and t#is %ro&e"t
intends to em%o$er t#ese lo"al "omm(nities '4 %rovidin2 t#em $it# 'ar2ainin2
tools )or "omm(nit4-led develo%ment/ T#is %ro&e"t )o"(sses on areas $#ere
a"(te "on)li"ts #ave arisen d(e to develo%mental %ress(res, and $#ere resident
"omm(nities are )a"in2 severe mar2inalisation/ It aims to$ards envisionin2 s#ort-
term ;one to t#ree 4ears< and lon2-term develo%ment strate2ies ;)ive to ten
4ears< in t#e Vasai Virar S('-Re2ion/ T#e %ro&e"t met#odolo24 in"l(des t#e
)orm(lation o) a Lo"al 1evelo%ment Committee ;L1C< "om%risin2 o) vario(s
"omm(nit4 sta0e#olders, and instit(tional and )inan"ial me"#anisms to$ards t#e
im%lementation o) t#e strate24 %lans Presentl4, t#ree areas #ave 'een identi)ied
)or "omm(nit4 %lannin2 interventions:
Vasai <ishing Village =&ector V222>
9is#in2 "omm(nities #ave 'een amon2st t#e earliest settlers in t#e VVSR/
9is#in2 a"tivities in re"ent times #ave 'een severel4 a))e"ted d(e to t#e "allo(s
d(m%in2 o) ind(strial e))l(ents and (r'an $aste in t#e "ree0s and t#e sea
res(ltin2 in t#e loss o) 2ro(nd )or )is#in2/ 1(e to t#e nat(ral 2ro$t# o) t#e
%o%(lation t#ese villa2es #ave 'e"ome over %o%(lated and )a"e a"(te
in)rastr("t(ral s#orta2e/ Land re"lamation in M(m'ai, over a lon2 %eriod o) time,
#as res(lted into t#e tidal $aves eatin2 (% t#e $estern "oast/ :roadl4 s%ea0in2,
$#ile dee%-sea )is#in2 is a territor4 "ontrolled '4 lar2e or2anizations #avin2
so%#isti"ated "a%a"ities, )is#in2 a"tivities '4 indi2eno(s )is#ermen #avin2 $ea0
or2anizational "a%a"ities #ave 'een at t#e mer"4 o) t#e %ress(res o) (r'anisation
and t#reats )rom t#e nat(ral environment/ In s%ite o) t#e )is#in2 villa2es in t#e
VVSR e*em%li)4in2 all t#ese %ro'lems, t#ere is no mention o) t#e )is#in2 villa2es
in t#e 1ra)t 1evelo%ment Plan )or t#e VVSR ;=..+A=.=+</ T#e aim o) t#is %ro&e"t
is to initiate a %ilot %ro&e"t t#ro(2# t#e "ase o) Vasai 9is#in2 Villa2e, to$ards
envisionin2 and strate2isin2 lo"al "omm(nit4 develo%ment/
?aman Village in the @reen Aone =&ector B>
T#e "onte*t )or t#is %ro&e"t is t#e dis%la"ement o) "attle s#eds )rom M(m'ai and
t#eir relo"ation in t#e VVSR/ T#e a2ri"(lt(ral villa2e o) !aman )orms one o) t#e
areas $#ere reservations o) land (se #ave 'een made )or t#e relo"ation o) "attle
s#eds/ T#e dis%osal o) $aste )rom t#e "attle s#eds #as a))e"ted t#e land and
(nder2ro(nd $ater so(r"es in t#e re2ion aro(nd t#e Cattle S#ed Bone renderin2
a loss o) &o's and liveli#ood to t#e )armers and t#e adivasi ;tri'al< la'o(r/ In t#e
a'sen"e o) an4 ot#er )orm o) e"onomi" a"tivit4, t#e reservation o) land (se )or
t#e Cattle S#ed Bone looms as a severe e"onomi" t#reat )or lo"al "omm(nities/
T#e %ro"ess o) 2entri)i"ation, res(ltin2 o(t o) t#e ne$er %ro2ramme o) t#e Cattle
S#eds, #as dis%la"ed t#e adivasi %o%(lation )rom t#eir lands and #o(ses/ T#is
zone, in t#e re2ional "onte*t o) VVSR, also %resents n(mero(s o%%ort(nities
to$ards solvin2 t#e $ater mana2ement and s(%%l4 %ro'lems/ In s("# a "onte*t
t#e allo"ation o) t#e Cattle S#ed Bone as a land (se is in C(estion, and t#is
%ro&e"t $ill ta0e t#e "ase o) !aman Villa2e )or strate2isin2 lo"al "omm(nit4
develo%ment, 'e"omin2 a 'ar2ainin2 medi(m )or t#e a2ri"(lt(ral and allied
"omm(nit4/
.rnala Village in the %lantation Aone =&ector V22>
T#is %ro&e"t is set in t#e "onte*t o) t#e re"ent s#i)t o) a"tivities )rom a2ri"(lt(re
to$ards re"reation and s%irit(al to(rism in t#e Plantation Bone, and t#e
%romotion o) t#e to(rism-'ased lo"al e"onomies in t#e 1ra)t 1evelo%ment Plan
)or t#e VVSR ;=..+A=.=+</ Arnala, $#i"# is amon2st t#e most %o%(lo(s to(rist
sites in VVSR, #as seen a tremendo(s 2ro$t# o) resorts and 2(est #o(ses in t#e
last de"ade d(e to t#e 2ro$t# o) t#e to(rism/ D(estions #ave arisen re2ardin2
t#e s(staina'ilit4 o) s("# a"tivities $it# availa'le $ater and ener24 reso(r"es and
lo"al in)rastr("t(re/ T#e lo"al e"onom4, 'ased %rimarl4 on a2ri"(lt(re and )is#in2,
#as 'een or2anised aro(nd resident )armers and )is#ermen, as $ell as seasonal
mi2rant la'o(r E t#e to(rism e"onom4, #o$ever, is 'ased little lo"al
%arti"i%ation, and is oriented to$ards o(tside '(siness and land interests/ W#ile
t#e %eri-(r'an areas #ave 'een "on"e%t(alised in t#e 1ra)t 1evelo%ment Plan as
to(rism and re"reation zones, t#is does not ta0e into a""o(nt lo"al as%irations or
realities/ T#is %ro&e"t $ill involve t#e lo"al "omm(nit4 in strate2isin2 its )(t(re
develo%ment, and s(22est $a4s o) stren2t#enin2 e*istin2 lo"al e"onomies in t#e
midst o) %redator4 (r'anisation/