By TCN News,
New Delhi: Activists and civil society members from Khudai Khidmatgar, NBA, NAPM and other civil society groups today gathered outside the Maharashtra Sadan in the national capital to protest against demolitions and evictions of slums in Golibar and Chandivalli demanding an urgent dialogue with the movement.
Medha Patkar has undertaken an indefinite hunger strike in solidarity with the victims of Golibar. Today is the 8th day of her hunger strike protest.
Justice Rajinder sachar in the Protest.
Justice Rajendra Sachar, Vimal Bhai, Khudai Khidmatgar Secretary Inamul Hasan, Roshan Lal Agarwal, Maduresh Kumar and several other social activists participated in the protest.
The Delhi Solidarity group came out in support with the struggle undertaken by Patkar in Mumbai, protested against the inaction by state government on the urban slum demolitions and apathy to Medha Patkar’s and Madhuri Shivkar’s indefinite fast.
Justice (Retd) Rajinder Sachar led the delegation and handed over a letter signed by Aruna Roy, Swami Agnivesh, Prashant Bhushan, Sumit Chakravarty, Sanjay Parikh, Dayamani Barla, Chittaroopa Palit, K B Saxena, Manoranjan Mohanty, Vimal Bhai, Rajendra Ravi and many others.
Medha Patkar is on indefinite fast since April 4, joined by Madhuri Shivkar on April 6th, against the illegal demolition of the slum dwellers in Golibar Mumbai. Today it is 8th day of fast but the government has not taken any cognizance. Signs of weakness and deteriorating health like vomiting, body ache, back ache are now visible on their health.
They started their fast after Maharashtra Government betrayed people's faith in rule of law. On April 2-3, 43 houses of the Ganeshkrupa Housing Society were demolished, in spite of a letter from Shri Ajay Maken, Union Minister from Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation; and an ongoing investigation by Principal Secretary, Housing, Government of Maharashtra into the Golibar (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) SRA project being developed by Shivalik ventures.
People of the slums have been fighting for their rights since 2004, when vast areas of slums in Mumbai were razed to the ground by the Vilasrao Deshmukh government to convert Mumbai to Shanghai. The Adarsh Housing Scam, Hiranandani Developers Land grab are examples of the extent to which a handful of powerful people are robbing the common man of a basic right to shelter.
Khudai Khidmatgar Secretary Inamul Hasan and Social activist Vimal Bhai and Roshan Lal Agarwal in the Protest.
Demands of the protesters:
1. The enquiry in respect of 6 S.R.A. Projects, under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary, Housing, is in progress since 13th January, 2013. We demand that the work in all these projects should be stopped until the report of the enquiry is completed and actions taken on the recommendations.
2. If demolitions are being carried out in accordance with court rulings but the preconditions put forth are not met, main issues and allegations of corruption through forgery, fraudulent consent are not resolved etc., then in such cases project work should be stopped and no further demolitions be carried.
3. In cases where the residents have submitted self development projects or wish to submit the same, they should be sanctioned and encouraged and started immediately.
4. S.R.A. should ensure that in case of ongoing S.R.A. Projects all conditions in L.O.I. should be complied with.
5. The L.O.I. of the developer should be withdrawn wherever the developers have submitted forged / false documents or wrong information in violation of the L.O.I – as in case of Shivalik builders.
6. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra has agreed to implement 'Rajeev Awas Yojana' in the slums of Mumbai instead of S.R.A., on 2nd January, 2013. However these very slums are being buldozed even today. So, the displacement of these slums should be stopped till R.A.Y. is implemented. The same was conveyed to the State Government by the Union Minister Ajay maken on April 2, 2013.
7. Pilot projects in respect of slum at Mandala, Mankhurd under the R.A.Y. Have already been submiited to the state as well as Central Governments. That should be approved and implemented at the earliest.
8. Civic amenities (like water, toilets, nallahs, roads) should be provided to all the slums immediately as per the written assurance given by the Municipal Commissioner.
9. The Chief Secretary had given a written assurance on 25th May, 2011 that 19 bastis as agreed in the list, after 9 day fast by Medha Patkar, will be declared slums within 3 months. There is no action on this assurance till date. The same should be done. The Chief Minister, and the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Housing had promised again in January, 2013 to complete this action during discussions held with them. They also gave a written assurance to that effect. The displacements that are being carried out at present are, therefore, grossly unjust and hence should be stopped forthwith.
10. Shri Ajay Maken, Minister for Housing and urban poverty alleviation, Government of India has written a letter to the Chief Minister, Maharashtra state on 2nd April, 2013. The Chief Minister should declare his stand on the letter in writing. 11. The land of Sathe Nagar should be given for R.A.Y . This land is currently under the hold of Bombay Soap company.