State extends legal cover to slum-dwellers

OCTOBER 18: The state Cabinet today extended legal cover to slum-dwellers in the city whose dwelings pre-date January 1, 1995, making it m...

OCTOBER 18: The state Cabinet today extended legal cover to slum-dwellers in the city whose dwelings pre-date January 1, 1995, making it mandatory on the state government to either provide them with alternative accommodation or lease out the plots on which they currently reside.

This was stated by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh after the weekly Cabinet meeting today. He said this will be incorporated in a proposed legislation, which is likely to be tabled during the Winter Session of the state Legislature. All slum-dwellers who are eligible are being issued photopasses, he added.

These plots, owned by government, semi-government bodies, local self-government bodies and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development AUthority (MHADA), on which the encroachers reside will be given on a 30-year lease. Alternative accommodation will be provided to those who have encroached on plots reserved for public amenities, Deshmukh said. Also, he underscored, photopasses will be issued only for structures whose current area is a maximum 500 sq ft.

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The Cabinet also gave its nod to amending the Maharashtra Slums Act, 1971, for this purpose.

Deshmukh also said the government would deal with slum-dwellers post-dating the January 1, 1995 deadline with a heavy hand, saying: “We are also planning to fix the responsibility on the persons concerned. Without this, it will be impossible to curb the growth of illegal slums.” Action against these encroachhers will begin immediately after photopasses are issued, he clarified.

The government is also awaiting the Centre’s policy on slum-dwellers in theCoastal Regulation Zone before issuing photopasses to them, he said.