The catch: The civic authorities, under whose jurisdiction all gardens and playgrounds fall, are unable to develop and maintain them while proposals on offer to private parties have evoked no interest. Moreover, a large number of plots reserved for playgrounds and gardens in the city's Development Plan have over the years turned into shelters for the homeless with encroachments defeating the very purpose for which they have been reserved.

But even as Mumbai's civic soul refuses to stir, a Rs 300-crore green belt is taking shape on the drawing board of architect Hafeez Contractor, which purports to alter the ``micro-climate'' of the metropolis, change its lifestyle and in the long run even attract more investment to thecity.

Apart from the enormous expense, environmentalists also question the wisdom of reclaiming vast tracts of land in the protected Coastal Regulation Zone.

As for existing open spaces in the city, there is no dearth of them. If only the state government was half as inclined to develop and maintain these, Mumbai would not need a forest along its already fragile coast, they point out. Though the statistics with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are extremely encouraging, the picture is widely discrepant at the ground-level. According to the DP Plan, 428 plots (some measuring (as much as 20,000 sq mt) have been reserved for gardens (265) and playgrounds (163), with only 36 (gardens: 22, playgrounds: 14) plots yet to be developed.

However, about half the `developed' plots are in various stages of ruin apart from being encroached upon, as the BMC has neither the wherewithal nor funds to maintain them.

Admits K L Velodi, the BMC's superintendent in charge of gardens: ``The response fromprivate parties including industrial houses has been poor. We have tried every possible method. We have even written to business houses individually but they don't seem interested. All that is left is to knock at every door,'' he shrugs, adding that publicity via the media is the BMC's last hope. In fact, the 36 proposals on offer with the BMC have been pending since the last five years, he elucidates, the statistics reflecting the almost irrevocable callousness that has penetrated Mumbai's urban fabric.

Also, Velodi told Express Newsline, the BMC issued a circular a couple of weeks ago, offering such plots to private parties for maintenance on payment of a royalty of Re 1 per annum. It has also offered water for the plants free of cost. In return, the BMC would allow two boards to be erected which could be used for advertisement purposes.

To simplify things, the BMC has also published a handy booklet titled `Beautification of Mumbai with Cooperation of Industrial and Business Houses' listing thegardens, playgrounds and traffic islands ward-wise, which are up for adoption. It also explains the requisite formalities.

However, appeals to industrial houses, influential and prominent individuals via advertisements in leading newspapers have failed miserably. As vital as it is, developing and maintaining gardens and playgrounds would bleed the civic exchequer and the civic budget, senior civic officials say, as the BMC simply does not have the requisite funds. According to Velodi, the corporation spent Rs 21 crore on such activity last year alone.

Waiting for funds
Apart from the 36 proposals for development pending with the BMC, following are the gardens and playgrounds waiting to be adopted: A Ward (Garden: 2, Playground: nil); B ward (G:1, P: 6); C ward (G:4 , P: 7); D ward (G:11, P: 3); E ward ( G: 9, P: 12); F(north) ward (G:28, P:10); F(south) ward (G: 14 , P: 12); G(north) ward (G: 17, P: 8); G(south) ward (G:8, P: 8); H(east) ward (G:9, P:2); H(west) ward (G:23, P: 7);K(east) ward (G:9, P: 2); K(west) ward (G: 15, P: 13); L ward (G: 9, P:5); M(east) ward (G: 11, P: 2); M(west) ward (G:10,P:10); N ward (G:14, P: 5); P(south) ward (G:6, P: 6); P(north) ward (G:8, P: 6); R(south) ward (G: 5, P: 5); R(north) ward (G: 10, P: 7); S ward (G: 9, P: 8); T ward (G:11, P: 5); Total: G:243, P: 149

Apart from these, 36 proposals (G:22, P:14) are pending for development.