BMC evicts 4 NGOs running shelter homes for kids below Dadar flyover

The space belonging to the BMC was leased out to NGOs to run their programme.

Four NGOs running shelter homes and outreach programmes for homeless children below Dadar (west) flyover were evicted by the BMC on Tuesday.

While the NGOs, which operated from the space for over two decades, claim that over 100 children, mostly adolescent boys and girls, have been left homeless, BMC officials said they were finding alternative spaces to accommodate them.
According to the BMC, the decision to evict the NGOs was taken to ensure easy movement of vehicles and pedestrians in the area.

The structures on the space leased out by the BMC are to be razed soon.“We have been actively running programmes for children from this centre since 1996. In one of its notices a few months ago, the BMC had told us they would provide an alternative space. But, in the notice served to us a few days ago, we were asked to vacate the space. They were silent on the issue of relocating us,” said Arokia Mary from NGO YUVA.

Mary, who is also a member of the Juvenile Justice Board, said the BMC should have first made alternative arrangements before demolishing the structures.

The space belonging to the BMC was leased out to NGOs to run their programme. According to the notice served to them, the BMC plans to relocate only those which are “genuinely” working for the cause of street children and homeless youth. “We have been in touch with the NGOs and are in the process of accommodating the children. It will be done soon,” said Mohan Adtani, Additional Municipal Commissioner (BMC).

In 2010, the Supreme Court had directed every state government in the country to build shelters for the homeless.
According to rules, which stipulate at least one shelter home every one lakh citizens, Mumbai should have 120 homes. But, the state government has failed to build even one shelter home.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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