BMC invitations bids for removing of unlawful cycle observe from Powai lake that was Aaditya Thackeray’s pet mission

On Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued a young discover confirming the removing of unlawful cycle tracks and different present work from the banks of Powai Lake and the restoration of the stated space to its unique place in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The 10 km lengthy cycle observe mission made utilizing the newest ‘Gabion technology’ was undertaken by the BMC through the reigns of the MVA authorities headed by CM Uddhav Thackeray. The mission had large assist from the then Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, because it was his pet mission.

The information was confirmed by Maharashtra BJP chief Nitesh Rane who stated that taxpayers hard-earned cash (Rs 66 lakhs) was utilized by the MVA authorities to execute this ‘childish act’. “The illegal cycle track built on the banks of Powai lake is going to be removed. Aditya Thackray should pay back Rs 66 lakhs which is taxpayers’ money. Baap ki Mumbai nahi hai..Yaad rakna,” he tweeted.

The unlawful cycle observe constructed on the banks of Powai lake is goin to be eliminated..
Tax payers cash was used for this infantile act..
Now that it’s goin to be eliminated..
Aditya Thackray shud pay again 66 lacs which is tax payers cash..

Baap ki Mumbai nahi hai..Yaad rakna! pic.twitter.com/egPJ3eCbFA

— nitesh rane (@NiteshNRane) February 21, 2023

This is 9 months after the Bombay High Court held that work on the biking observe round Powai Lake was unlawful and directed the civic physique to instantly take away all constructions carried out thus far and restore the reclaimed parts. On May 6, 2022, the Bombay High Court stated that the development of the biking and jogging observe across the lake violated the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules.

The division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice VG Bisht was listening to the general public curiosity litigations (PILs) filed by IIT college students Omkar Supekar and Abhishek Tripathi via advocate Rajmani Varma and NGO Vanashakti on April 25, difficult the development of the observe.

The petitioners had argued that constructing the 10-km biking route would negatively have an effect on the lake’s indigenous Indian marsh crocodiles’ capability to take care of their pure setting. Through legal professional Manoj Shirsat, activist Zoru Bathena had additionally submitted an intervention software, arguing that there was no want for a separate bicycle path as a result of the IITians already used a six-kilometer route that runs beside the lake. Activists, environmentalists, and locals all disagreed with the plan.

The IITians additional complained that the observe would disturb the lake’s pure flora and animals and spoil the wetland’s ecology. The petitioners stated that the Supreme Court had issued a ruling in 2009 emphasizing the safety of wetlands, they usually have been asking for the BMC to observe that ruling. Furthermore, the PIL requested documentation proving the lake had been declared unnoticeable, permitting the reclamation of the environmentally weak Powai wetland.

The Powai Lake, positioned in Mumbai’s jap suburbs, is considered a wetland. It was inbuilt 1891. Its water is utilized for industrial functions solely as a result of it was deemed unsuitable for human consumption. According to the Central Institute of Fisheries Education, the lake has a catchment space of 6.61 sq. kilometers and a water unfold space of 210 hectares. As a part of its ambition to ascertain bicycle tracks throughout the town, the BMC had instructed developing a 10-km observe round Powai Lake in 2021. The then-state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray additionally prolonged assist to this proposal.

As we progress with the observe, it not simply open up a pure city area to residents and vacationers alike, but in addition assist us work together with nature higher. The Powai lake is a gem of our metropolis with its lovely environment. Every side of this observe can be eco pleasant pic.twitter.com/vdpZyA1yz9

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) June 6, 2021

Several locals and environmentalists had been opposing the mission for the reason that starting. They stated that the mission would trigger hurt to the pure habitat of the crocodiles residing within the lake. In November 2021, round 670 folks together with inexperienced activists and environmentalists signed a letter searching for the scraping of the cycle observe via Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Powai lake, and round Virar lake. The letter was then despatched to the then CM Uddhav Thackeray’s workplace nevertheless it was not acknowledged. The environmentalists additionally didn’t obtain any response from the CM’s workplace concerning the problem.

Notably, a number of environmentalists staged a protest demanding the safety of the lake and the removing of the unlawful cycle observe mission.

The Aam Aadmi Party had additionally staged a protest calling Aaditya Thackeray infantile. The AAP employees stated that Thackeray needed to transform the town into his playground. ‘When he wants penguins, he gets penguins, when he wants a zoo in the middle of Aarey, he gets and zoo, and now, he wants a cycle track around the fragile area between Powai and Virar lakes. Mumbai is not Thackeray’s personal floor for experiments,” Sumitra Shrivastava, AAP Mumbai working president had stated then.

However, the BMC has lately issued a young discover confirming the removing of unlawful cycle tracks and different present work from the banks of Powai Lake and the restoration of the stated space to its unique place in Mumbai.