Source: http://www.legalblog.in/2010/10/master-plan-concept-explained.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 10:22:20+00:00

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“Protection of the environment, open spaces for recreation and fresh air, play grounds for children, promenade for the residents, and other conveniences or amenities are matters of great public concern and of vital interest to be taken care of in a development scheme. It is that public interest which is sought to be promoted by the Act by establishing the BDA. The public interest in the reservation and preservation of open spaces for parks and play grounds cannot be sacrificed by leasing or selling such sites to private persons for conversion to some other user. Any such act would be contrary to the legislative intent and inconsistent with the statutory requirements. Furthermore, it would be in direct conflict with the constitutional mandate to ensure that any State action is inspired by the basic values of individual freedom and dignity and addressed to the attainment of a quality of life which makes the guaranteed rights a reality for all the citizens."
41. The Andhra Pradesh High Court has consistently held that attempts at changing the use of green areas to commercial and other purposes in the layout plans would be impermissible in law. In Sri Ramakrishna Educational Society v. Chairman, Nandyal Municipality, 2006 (3) ALD 242, it was held by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh that an area earmarked as playground in the layout plan could be used by the residents of Nandyal Town for the purpose of children's games and sports, for a walking track, growing tree clusters or as a common meeting place. It was held that “once the layout was approved considering the playground is part of the common area, the same cannot be converted into a business/commercial area by allowing a Rythu Bazar. Such conversion is impermissible in law.” InBhagya Nagar Colony Welfare Association v. Government of A.P., 2003 (4) ALD 74 multi-storeyed residential complexes/group housing were constructed and houses were allotted in a portion of the land admeasuring 2,897 sq. yards which had been earmarked as a park/open space. It was held by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh that the “Municipality shall immediately take action for demolishing and dismantling all structures, which have come up in the open area admeasuring 2897 sq. yards in the layout approved by the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority, whatever be the amount spent on such structures, forthwith.” The court however made an exception for a temple. It said: “The actual area occupied by Shirdi Sai Baba Temple shall be excluded and other structures, be it, temporary or permanent, shall also be dismantled and removed forthwith. The area of about 2,597 sq, yards after excluding 300 sq. yards occupied by the temple shall be developed as a park.” In Co-operative Housing Society, Saleemnagar Limited v. Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad and others, 2001 (5) ALD 663 the first respondent had, instead of developing the area as a park, leased out about 1800 square yards of the park site to the second respondent for construction of school. Some other encroachments were also made in the said area. The first respondent was directed to take appropriate steps for removal of the encroachments in accordance with law and restore the park to its original position.
“The Court while considering such a matter is not concerned with the consequences particularly where it concerns ecology. A park provides for some lung space. It is well settled that the community requires certain lung space and may also use open space for sports and other recreational activities. Parks or wetlands are also necessary for the purpose of maintaining ecological balance. The doctrine of public trust applies in relation to park wherefor the open space is earmarked for the purpose of park, and it becomes the statutory duty of the local authorities and other statutory bodies to maintain the same. The authorities of the Board have no right to do away therewith unless the Master Plan is modified in terms of the provisions of Section 12 of the 1975 Act read with Rules 13 and 13-A of the 1977 Rules. The Development Act, as noticed hereinbefore, envisages preparation of a Master Plan, which consists of various zones-the user of such zone is specified therein. Stages of development are also specified. A planned development is contemplated under the Master Plan and Zonal Development Plans. While doing so, larger public interest must be kept in view. A creature of a statute therefore cannot be permitted to violate the provisions of the Act whereunder it was created."
44. In Modern Educational and Cultural Society v. Nizam, RLW 2007 (4) Raj 3214 the allotment of an open space reserved as per approved scheme under Rajasthan Urban Areas (Sub-Division, Reconstruction and Improvement of Plots) Rules, 1975 by the Jaipur Development Authority to a private person/body for a school was held by the Single Judge to be illegal. The Division Bench in Nizam v. Jaipur Development Authority, AIR 1994 Raj 87 affirmed this and held: “The action of JDA in making allotment of the site in question in favour of Modern School to establish a school is invalid and without jurisdiction, being contrary to the legislative intent to safeguard healthy, safety and general welfare the people of the locality. It was also opposed to the statutory Scheme/ Plan.” In Rajasthan Housing Board Shopping Centre Vikas Samiti v. State of Rajasthan, RLW 2006 (1) Raj 588 the grievance was that the respondents were permitting vegetable vendors to construct shops in Park-A in Shastri Nagar, Jaipur. The Court held: “There is no dispute the park-A was a facility area and further the Housing Board has not revised the scheme under Sections 29, 30 and 32 of the Housing Board provisions which was published in Gazette. The alleged allotment/permission is also contrary to the scheme as well as the provisions of the Housing Board and later on transfer of maintenance to the Municipal Corporation will also not give any right to the Municipal Corporation to issue the allotment order or grant permission to construct the platform.“ The action of the respondents was held to be illegal.
46. For an instance of courts not permitting an underground water treatment plant in a park, reference may be made to the decision of the Court of Appeals of New York in Friends of Van Cortlandt Park v. City of New York 95 N.Y.2D 623, 630. The court was informed that the public would be deprived of the use of the park for five years during which the water treatment plant would be constructed and thereafter the park would be restored. That court held that prior legislative approval of the change in user was mandatory even if the proposal was that the park would ultimately be restored. Referring to the decision in Williams v. Gallatin 229 NY 248 the Court of appeals invoked the “public trust” and said: “Though the water treatment plant plainly serves an important public purpose – indeed eve the State Attorney General believes it should be built at the site selected – our law is well settled: dedicated parks in New York are impressed with a public trust for the benefit of the people of the State. Their „use for other than park purposes, either for a period of years or permanently, requires the direct and specific approval of the State legislature, plainly conferred‟.” Our Supreme Court too has reiterated the public trust doctrine as forming part of the environmental jurisprudence in this country (See generally M.C.Mehta v. Kamal Nath (1997) 1 SCC 388).
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