Eviction must be last resort

VADODARA, June 22: The fact-finding team on rights violation visited some of the slum settlements demolished by the VMC and the Gujarat Hous...

VADODARA, June 22: The fact-finding team on rights violation visited some of the slum settlements demolished by the VMC and the Gujarat Housing Board and the relocation sites in the city. The team said a comprehensive participatory urban policy should be formulated giving primacy to right to life, shelter and livelihood.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, former MP Haroobhai Mehta reiterated that the fundamental rights of the evicted people should not be violated. All evictions must be subject to a rigorous social cost benefit analysis.

The team which visited 10 demolished sites and relocation sites and met the DC Anil Mukim, Municipal Commissioner Aloria and Commissioner of Police Kuldip Sharma on Sunday and Monday. It recommended that the citizens should have access to master plans, TP Scheme details, civic amenities and infrastructure development in the relocation sites.

The team suggested that eviction should be the last resort and in the interest of public. Existing slum settlements should be regularised and a census of the slums should be undertaken by the VMC. The VMC should not violate the UN Charter on Project-Affected People to which India is a signatory, the team said.

Aloria assured the team that the VMC would not demolish slums without providing alternative sites. The Commissioner had agreed to give civic amenities at the relocation sites. He also assured that the VMC would demolish slums only if they cause inconvenience to public. Aloria, the team claimed, had said notice was not a prerequisite for demolishing slums along the roadline. Police Commissioner Sharma told the team that the demolition and the use of force was not illegal8217;. Collector said the demolitions were not held on government land during the past two months.

The team comprised former MP and advocate Haroobhai Mehta from Ahmedabad, Rashmi and Qaiser Madni from Mumbai8217;s Centre for Human Rights and Law, advocates Hina Desai, M.S. Mansuri, members of the PUCL, Sahiyar, Gujarat Forum for Women8217;s Studies, and Narmada Bachao Andolan. They visited Ganeshnagar, Pratapnagar, Dholikui, GIDC Makarpura, Ambedkar, Chhani Jakatnaka, Chikuwadi areas on Sunday the relocation sites provided in Sayaji Park and Priyanka Gandhinagar, situated in the outskirts of the city.