BMC is custodian of Bhaudaji Laad Museum, says Mayor

Mumbai, May 21 (UNI) Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) owns all BMC plots in the city and the plots can be given to various trusts and not any individual, said Mumbai Mayor Dr Shubha Raul.

Dr Raul today told reporters, ''There are some mistakes and omissions in the letter given to Ms Tasneem Mehta which said the Bhau Daji Lad Museum was handed over to her. It was signed by former BMC commissioner Johny Joseph and chairman of the Standing Committee and Education S S Shinde and it will soon be rectified in the meeting this week.'' She made the clarifications after reporters informed Ms Raul that the Bhau Daji Laad Museum was handed over to one Tasneem Mehta, managing trustee of the Bhau Daji Lad Museum Trust and Mumbai convenor of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage).

She said, ''There is a small mistake in the letter that has been given to Ms Mehta and the BMC cannot give any of it's property to any single individual and has to be handed over to a trust for a specific period for caretaking and beautification. '' The BMC will conduct an enquiry into the issue of handing over of the Museum premises and appropriate decision will be taken soon, she said.

The matter came to light when the BMC staff working at the Museum were stopped from coming to work and were replaced. Moreover, journalists who wanted to go to the Museum to visit it were not allowed in. The Mayor said that if the workers were BMC staffers and have been working at the museum, then they will be reinstated and action will be taken against the persons responsbile for it.

The proposal to hand over the museum was signed by the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Johny Joseph, when he was the BMC Commissioner during his last days as the Commissioner.

UNI