Ex-mayor questions proposal

SURAT, Nov 5: Former Mayor Fakirbhai Chauhan has expressed apprehension about the civic body's proposal to rehabilitate 10,000-odd slum-dwel...

SURAT, Nov 5: Former Mayor Fakirbhai Chauhan has expressed apprehension about the civic body8217;s proposal to rehabilitate 10,000-odd slum-dwellers from the riverbed. 8220;The proposal is good, but it cannot work unless civic authorities take certain measures to ensure that people settle there8221;, he asserts.

Bapunagar, J P Nagar, Nehru Nagar and Subhas Nagar 8212; all on the river bank 8212; were some of the worst-affected jhuggi clusters in the city in the recent flood. In fact, rehabilitation of these slum-dwellers has become a perennial problem for the Surat Municipal Corporation. Every time the water level in Tapi goes up, these dwellers have to be shifted to safer places. And after the water recedes, they return to be shifted again. This had been going on for more than two decades.

However, this time, the civic authorities decided to work out a lasting solution. As per the plan worked out, slum-dwellers would be given pucca houses in Jahangirpura, where land has been reserved for a housing board. The SMC has sent a proposal to the state government seeking Rs 23 crores for resettling them.

While re-settlement is expected to cost the SMC Rs 70 crore, one third of which would be given as subsidy by the government.

But if some senior councillors are to be believed, the number ofslum-dwellers has increased after the civic body announced that they would be given pucca houses, including all basic amenities.

The former mayor, while pointing out that nobody can stop people from settling in the riverbed, says slum-dwellers are a major vote bank and with the scheme, their number is bound to increase.

Residents of Bapunagar, J P Nagar and Nehru Nagar, however, claim that the number of slum-dwellers has not increased. Moreover, points out Yusuf Patel of Bapunagar, 8220;The SMC maintains a record of jhuggis. Three months ago each jhuggi has been allotted a number after a survey. Now how can a new slum-dweller get the number8221;.

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Chauhan, on the other hand says surveys can be manipulated. He suggests videography of slum-dwellers as well as the jhuggis. 8220;It will be a fool proof record,8221; he claims, adding, moreover video recording is not something new, for the corporation had done the same of slum-dwellers residing on Varachha road in 1996 before shifting them.