STATE TO KEEP EYE ON DRONE MOVEMENT
MUMBAI: The state government has hastened the process of regulating flying of drones, paragliding and parasailing activities after a drone over Bhabha Automic Research Centre (BARC) sparked scare earlier this year.
The home department is in the process of drafting a comprehensive policy to regulate these activities by making necessary changes in the Maharashtra Police Act. It has also asked the office of the director general (DG) of police to fine-tune the policy that was submitted to the government last year.
Once the rules are framed and norms for the permissions for operating drones and paragliding are set, the home department will move a bill to amend the Act.
After the Intelligence Bureau (IB) alerted all the state governments about the possible use of drones and paragliding for recce in the terrorist activities in 2013, the DG’S office chalked a plan to regulate these activities.
A draft was submitted to the home department for approval last year. After studying the draft, the department has asked for a more comprehensive version and the DG office has been asked to submit this at the earliest. “We are proposing an amendment in the section 33 of the Maharashtra Police Act to include movements of drones and paragliding activities in the purview of the licensing norms. Once the activities are brought in the purview of the Act, the regulation will be done as per the rules framed by the police,” said an official from the home department.
KP Bakshi, additional chief secretary (Home), said, “We are in the process of finalising the draft. Once approved by the cabinet, necessary amendments will be initiated to regulate these activities.” MUMBAI: While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) refused to extend the deadline for submission of feedback on the newly presented designation survey for the 2014-2034 development plan (DP), citizens can continue to send their observations and suggestions on the plan. The deadline for submission of feedback ended on Monday.
“Citizens are free to send their observations to the DP department. Important suggestions will be considered,” said a senior official from the BMC.
Citizens wanted the deadline to be extended, as they claimed one month was not enough to scrutinise and send observations on the extensive document.
“With Diwali holidays, people didn’t get enough time to go through the document. It is an important plan, so every error needs to be rectified. If the BMC had done its job properly, there would be no need for people to scrutinise the document each
time,” said Godfrey Pimenta, an activist.
The survey had released on November 7. Citizens had expressed their doubts over studying the exhaustive document, as the BMC was also closed from November 11 to 15 owing to
festivities.
Till Monday, the civic body had received around 510 observations from citizens on the designated survey. The number is pretty low in comparison to over 50,000 suggestions and objections that the BMC had received on the
draft development plan.
After mishandling the 20-year blueprint for the city earlier this year, the BMC has failed to jump back to its feet. The designated survey, which is the first part of the revised draft, is also filled with errors.