Mumbai, Feb 28 (PTI) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai police will launch a joint campaign to crack down on drug use in public parks and open spaces, Maharashtra Minister Shamburaj Desai informed the state assembly on Saturday.
The minister also stated that security at public parks will be upgraded to address safety concerns, and proposed deploying personnel from the Maharashtra Ex-servicemen Corporation (MESCO).
Shiv Sena’s Mahesh Lande raised the issue of the drug menace at public gardens in the city through a calling attention notice.
Desai said that the BMC and police will launch a joint campaign to tackle the drug menace in public gardens and open spaces, including a special drive with surprise visits by plainclothes police personnel.
He noted that the city has 895 gardens, including 604 in the eastern and western suburbs.
Although security guards work in shifts in all gardens, drug addicts outnumber security personnel, posing safety issues.
Lande demanded strict action to free gardens and open spaces from drug addicts, alleging that morning walkers are forced to experience foul smell, and make their way through alcohol bottles and cigarette packets strewn around in parks.
Samajwadi Party’s Abu Asim Azmi (SP) and BJP legislator Manisha Chaudhary highlighted similar problems faced by citizens in their constituencies, suggesting that power supply be ensured in gardens all night and CCTVs from these premises be linked to local police stations.
Both legislators claimed that drug addicts also used public toilets and parked vehicles. PTI MR ARU
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