Out on a limb too long, BMC decides to crack the whip

August 7: An ordinance to protect slum structures constructed pre-1995 will be promulgated within a month, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmuk...

August 7: An ordinance to protect slum structures constructed pre-1995 will be promulgated within a month, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced today. He has also announced a departmental enquiry against the deputy conservator of Forests, A R Bharati for going beyond his brief and “burning slumdwellers belongings” while following the Bombay High Court’s orders on demolishing slum structures on the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).

The announcements were made by the Chief Minister at a meeting with a delegation of the Nivara Hakk Suraksha Samiti (NHSS) and led by former prime minister V P Singh today morning. The delegation also included members of the Zopadpatti Bachao Parishad made up of Ahilya Rangnekar, Mrinal Gore and others.

Also, the state government has decided to take representatives of the slumdwellers to the rehabilitation sites of Ambarnath and Kalyan for a first hand look at the sites, vice president of NHSS, P K Das told Express Newsline. While the NGO had first contended that the areas were very far and inaccessible, they are willing to look at the sites since the Chief Minister stated that the rehabilitation process should not be delayed as there was no land in the city and some of the areas in Thane district have already been acquired by the government.

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“We told the government that the slumdwellers had never been shown the areas for rehabilitation. If the slumdwellers are willing to shift to the areas, we have no objection and we will help them shift. We have now asked for a joint inspection of the sites,” said Das.

According to a press note by the NHSS, the chief minister an nounced the ordinance, since the legislation protecting the slums could not be presented before the house during the monsoon session. He also took note of the complaints against Bharati when the members of the delegation pointed out that two persons, Chandappa Sidappa Konhale and Asha Sunil Pandey had lost their lives in the demolition of Bhimnagar slum at Kandivali on July 22-23.

The Chief Minister also assured that the government would approach the high court to ensure more time to the people to pay the dues of Rs 7000 for getting alternative accommodation. As of now, of the 33,000 families found eligible by the state government for rehabilitation, only 11,504 families have paid up and are found eligible for alternative sites.

Deshmukh also said that the slum families numbering 33,000 will be given photo identity cards under the exercise undertaken by the government. NHSS has also demanded that a separate commission be set up under the housing ministry to discuss detials about the rehabilitation of the SGNP oustees. NHSS officials will be meeting the housing minister Rohidas Patil to discuss details on the issues on August 16.

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