India, Nov. 23 -- In a conference room on the fifth floor of the BMC headquarters, the stage is being set for an epic battle. At stake is Mumbai's only green lung - a whopping 60sq km (5,945.6 hectares) along its protected boundary could be opened to developers.

On September 10, the BMC had released a draft masterplan that allows construction within the buffer zone of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), an eco-sensitive zone around the park's boundary. Frontline soldiers in this battle to stave off development are taking their seats to argue against the plan, which environmentalists say is certain to cause the eventual disappearance of the park itself.

The meeting is a hearing for members of the public to register objections to the ...