dr ambedkar – The Metrognome

After a decade of demands that Indu Mill land be handed over for Ambedkar memorial, Centre to announce decision today.

by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

At last, and a day before the followers of Dr BR Ambedkar congregate on Chaityabhoomi, Dadar, to pay their respects on the late leader’s death anniversary, the Centre will announce the handover of the 12.5 hectares of Indu Mill land in Parliament today.

Yesterday, Union Minister for Textiles and Industry Anand Sharma met a delegation of Congress MPs from Maharashtra and assured them that an annoucement on the transfer would be made on the floor of Parliament today. National Textile Corporation (NTC) is expected to hand over all of the land – last year, activists of the Republican Sena, an outfit headed by Dr Ambedkar’s grandson Anandraj, had camped inside the Mill land premises for over a week after reports of the NTC handing over only four hectares of land.

The handover is significant, and the Centre’s hand has also been forced by the impending December 6 event at Mumbai. Dalits comprise an estimated 12 per cent of Maharashtra State’s population, and this group can swing things against or for the Congress in the 2012 general elections.

CM trying for green nod for Chaityabhoomi

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan asks for second phase beautification proposal to be submitted for environmental clearance.

On Friday, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan asked the BMC to submit a revised proposal for the second stage of the Chaityabhoomi revamp project, for environmental clearances. As per the project scope, Phases II and III will involve constructing a walkway that projects into the sea and runs parallel to the coast. While Phase I is said to be complete, the remaining phases have been delayed owing to permissions not being granted on proposals submitted earlier by the MoEF – the land, and all three Phases, fall under the purview of CRZ laws. However, a proposal for green clearance can now be resubmitted owing to a realigning of CRZ-II laws in 2011.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set aside Rs 21 crore for the beautification project, while the State Government has granted Rs 25 crore for it. Rs 8.33 crore has been spent on Phase I.

In the remaining phases, it is proposed to expand the existing stupa without touching the original structure, a circular meditation space next to the stupa, water fountains at certain spots, landscaping, and most importantly, the construction of a cantilevered walkway projecting out into the sea. Yesterday, Chavan also asked BMC chief Sitaram Kunte to verify the ownership of the area.

A latter part of the project includes a proposed Vipassana centre, a residential space for visiting monks and pilgrims, and a library of Dr BR Ambedkar’s works. Chaityabhoomi is known for being the last resting place of Dr Ambedkar.

‘Trying to expedite Indu Mill land transfer’

Though there is no definite date on it yet, Chavan yesterday said that he was trying to expedite the transfer of Indu Mill land (which is adjacent to Chaityabhoomi) for a world-class memorial dedicated to Dr Ambedkar. “Our Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has given a positive response to the proposal, and we are studying how to make this happen,” Chavan said yesterday.

(Pictures courtesy www.deccanchronicle.com, www.timesofindia.com)