Turf War Over Mumbai's Green Lung: BMC's National Park Masterplan Sparks Intense Jurisdiction Debate

Mumbai's civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has ignited a fierce debate among environmentalists and urban planners by releasing a draft Zonal Masterplan for the sprawling Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). While the BMC asserts its plan aims to regulate development in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) surrounding the park, critics are vehemently questioning the very jurisdiction of the civic body over a nationally protected area, arguing it should fall exclusively under the state's Forest Department.

The draft plan, unveiled as part of the broader Development Plan 2034, seeks to govern land use and construction activities in areas adjacent to the core forest.

According to BMC officials, the initiative is a proactive step to prevent haphazard development and encroachment on the park's fragile boundaries, aligning with the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change's 2016 notification establishing the Eco-Sensitive Zone around SGNP. This ESZ, spanning between 0 to 4 kilometres from the park's boundary, is intended to act as a buffer to protect the national park from the pressures of urban expansion.

However, the move has been met with significant skepticism and outright opposition from prominent environmental activists.

D Stalin of NGO Vanashakti expressed bewilderment, stating, “How can the BMC, a municipal body, prepare a Zonal Masterplan for a national park, which is by law under the direct purview of the Forest Department? This is a complete bypass of established legal frameworks and a dangerous precedent.” He highlighted that such a critical plan should originate from the Forest Department, which possesses the mandate and expertise to manage national parks.

Rishi Aggarwal, a respected environmentalist and urban planner, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the potential for regulatory chaos.

“A national park has its own set of rules and a designated authority. Any plan, especially one of this magnitude, must be developed and implemented by the Forest Department. The BMC's involvement could lead to conflicting guidelines and dilute the protection status of SGNP,” Aggarwal cautioned. He stressed that the primary objective of any plan for an ESZ should be conservation, and the authority responsible must have a clear, undisputed mandate.

The controversy also delves into the specifics of the ESZ notification itself.

While the notification does specify that states should prepare Zonal Masterplans for ESZs, it implicitly assumes this would be done by the relevant expert bodies – in this case, the Forest Department, often in consultation with local authorities. Environmentalists argue that the BMC's unilateral action could undermine the very spirit of environmental protection enshrined in the ESZ concept.

BMC officials, on the other hand, maintain that their intentions are purely for conservation and planned development.

A senior official stated, “We are not touching the core forest area. Our plan focuses on the buffer zone, which has significant human habitation and developmental pressures. The idea is to bring order to these areas to protect the park, not to exploit it. We are working within the framework of the ESZ notification.” They claim the plan will facilitate sustainable development while safeguarding the park's ecological integrity.

Despite these assurances, the concerns persist.

Critics fear that the BMC's intervention, if not carefully aligned and sanctioned by the Forest Department, could open doors for potential commercial exploitation or re-zoning that prioritizes urban development over ecological preservation. The lack of clarity on jurisdiction raises questions about accountability and the long-term vision for one of Mumbai's most vital green spaces.

The draft plan is currently open for public suggestions and objections, setting the stage for a likely contentious period of consultation.

The unfolding debate highlights a critical challenge in India’s rapidly urbanizing landscape: how to effectively balance development pressures with the urgent need to protect invaluable natural heritage, and, crucially, who holds the ultimate authority in this delicate balancing act.