DDCM appeared for the Petitioners in two Writ Petitions filed by Gulmohar Areas Societies Welfare Group, Save Open Spaces and others before the Hon'ble Bombay High Court to save the "lungs of the city".The Petitions were successfully argued by Senior Counsel Mr. Shiraz Rustomjee along with Counsel Ms. Shreya Parikh averring inter alia that there had been a blatant misuse of power by the authorities by allowing the erroneous change of use of two mandatory open spaces.
The Petitions sought to save two open spaces admeasuring 2,500 square yards and 1,687.18 square yards respectively, located in the upscale J.V.P.D. Scheme in Juhu and worth crores from being usurped and built on.
After hearing the Petitions, the Hon'ble Bombay High Court passed a landmark judgment inter alia stating that if the Petitioners had not approached the Court at the right juncture,the land grabbers would have been successful in their design of converting scarce open spaces into a residential complex for commercial gain. The judgment went on to state that an attempt to destroy the open spaces meant for a garden would violate the doctrine of public trust. The judgment strengthens the belief of the common man in the legal system and its duty to uphold the balance between public good and private gain.
The Petitions were internally handled by Ms. Naheed T. Carrimjee, Ms. Sujata More and Ms. Aparajita Sen.
