The audit was done by social audit local team (SALT), a group of citizens formed by NGO Mahiti Adhikar Manch aiming to create awareness and conduct audit by citizens of money spent by municipal corporation on various projects. It is done procuring data through RTI, and checking if work is being properly carried out.
Unlike most gardens of BMC, Kesharbaug in Dadar (E) has green patches at regular intervals. "But this greenery is not because the gardener sprinkles water regularly, but because the trustees of the temple in the garden premises who do so," Shankar Tomal, a regular, tells a group of people conducting an audit of the ground. Tomal added that very little is being done in terms of other facilities.
The audit was done by social audit local team (SALT), a group of citizens formed by NGO Mahiti Adhikar Manch aiming to create awareness and conduct audit by citizens of money spent by municipal corporation on various projects. It is done procuring data through RTI, and checking if work is being properly carried out.
The small garden, which is spread over 9,000 sq ft, is given to the contractors by BMC for maintenance. BMC has been paying Rs28,000 per month for its maintenance since June 2013. With the amount of money that is allotted, there should be enough trees, lights, dustbins etc.
However, Bhaskar Prabhu of SALT said that the work is falling short 'on almost all parameters of comparison'. "There aren't enough lights or shrubs in the park, nor any fences around the trees. There are no washrooms, and rat holes dot the garden; 24-hour security has been deployed only after the superintendent of the garden, Vijay Hire, was informed of the audit. Even the board to inform people about the timings is missing," he added.
Mukesh Dutt, a resident of the area, said: "Some gardening work had happened in between, but it is not a regular affair." The residents who gathered gave the garden a ranking of 3 on 10 due to failure of the BMC to look after it.
When contacted, Hire said, "I will look into the matter. I cannot be present on the ground all the time. Anyone can level such allegations. We have improved 783 gardens so far, but no one appreciates that."
Joint municipal commissioner SS Shinde remained unavailable for comment.
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