Kolhapur civic action committee raises concerns over third development plan draft

Kolhapur: The Kolhapur city civic action committee on Tuesday evening met the deputy director of the town planning department of the civic body regarding the draft of the third development plan of the municipal corporation, and alleged that the development plan has been reduced merely to imposing reservations and lifting reservations.The committee members said that as the city's population, vehicles, flood and floodwater areas have increased, the number of gardens, playgrounds, primary and secondary schools, parking lots, and open spaces has decreased. They said the second revised development plan of the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) was for the period 1911-2011, and the third revised development plan was supposed to come into effect immediately after that, but that did not happen.The committee said the purpose of the development plan should be to organise various aspects of the city systematically so that the picture of the future development is prepared according to a specific principle system, making the city efficient, effective and pleasant. They alleged that in 1951, the area of the Kolhapur Municipal Council was 66.82 sqkm, and after the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation was set up in 1971, the area of the city remained 66.82 sq km, and it has stayed the same to date.Activist Baba Indulkar said, "While preparing the development plan, section 63 of the Municipal Corporation Act, it is mandatory for municipal corporation to provide gardens for recreation, playgrounds, primary and secondary education schools, health and medical services, dispensaries and maternity wards, hospitals, shops/vegetable markets, libraries, fire stations, parking lots, places for the rehabilitation of displaced persons, waste processing centres, roads, etc."Activist Baba Parte said, "If the population of the city has increased, how will new space be provided to provide various civic services and facilities? If co-guardian minister Madhuri Misal has said that the merger issue of Kolhapur will be resolved in 2027, why is there a hurry now for the third development plan?"Addressing the delegation, Dileep Kadam, the deputy director of town planning department, said, "Regarding revision of the third development plan, written and oral suggestions given by the civic action committee will be considered. Care will be taken to improve sector-wise implementation. A meeting with KMC officials will soon be organised."