Mumbai slums get cut-off perk

While the extension of the cut-off date legal cover and free rehabilitation to over 2.84 lakh slum units that sprang up in Mumbai and around 6 lakh units that came up across the state between 1995 and 2000, the cluster redevelopment schemes in Thane and Navi Mumbai are set to benefit nearly 6 lakh people.

Chavan said this has been part of the manifesto of the ruling alliance since 2004. “People elected us on the promise. We couldn’t deliver on it earlier due to some technical reasons. But we are delivering on it now,” he said. Chiding the opposition, he said, “We won in 2004 and 2009 on the back of the promise. We will win again this time.”

The CM said directions had already been issued to grant legal water and electricity connections to the newly protected slum-dwellers.

The ruling alliance pushed the Bill through even as a Bombay High Court order in 2006 restraining it from extending the cut-off date is still in force.

While the government appealed against the order in the Supreme Court in 2007 and has since filed several intervention applications pleading for a stay on the HC order, the apex court is yet to clear the demand.

Chavan, however, informed the House his government had obtained an opinion from Attorney General of India Ghoolam Vahanvati, which said the Bill won’t result in contempt of court.

The entire process was carried out in a hurried manner. While the Bill was not listed in the official business of the legislature in the morning, the government first obtained consent of the chair to table it. Even Opposition parties consented to it.

Sachin Ahir, minister of state for housing, tabled the Bill in the lower house around 4.30 pm. No Opposition party opposed the Bill, though they demanded a discussion and suitable additions to the legislation to “make it more comprehensive.”