The Pioneer  02.12.2010

Ankur Sirothia | Bhopal

How about having a Corporator for a population of 140 people, it isn't a mere possibility, but the fact for a municipal ward in the State capital where the onset of the slum rehabilitation drive would leave only a handful of people in the ward which as of now has over 14,000 voters.

The situation has come up in ward 31, an area that houses only slum population. Contrary to the Government policy that claims to provide basic civic amenities to urban poor at their settlements, local authorities here have initiated a rehabilitation project that would leave only about 140 people in the ward.

Slum areas of the ward, including Arjun Nagar, Bhim Nagar and Vallabh Nagar will soon be removed due to security concerns, as they stand in close proximity of the State Secretariat, and Assembly complex.

Ironically, despite the willingness of the residents to vacate the hilltop and move to a nearby location, the authorities are bent on disbursing them to different locations on the outskirts of the city and have even started survey work for the relocation. Ward 31 Corporator CM Singh says he has made all out efforts to save the shelters of the slum dwellers that have been living in the area for several decades.

Questioning the mere existence of a Corporator who does not have any people to serve, Singh says he will continue with his struggles for the rehabilitation of the people in the vicinity, though at some distance from the administrative buildings.

However, this demand of the people has already been turned down by the district administration and the civic body on a number of occasions. Pleading anonymity, officials said they are under pressure to undertake the relocation drive.

Meanwhile local residents, in no mood to leave the place, are gearing up for an agitation against the bid.

Notably, around 14,000 voters of the ward reside in the three slum clusters, while the remaining 135 to 140 people are watchmen and peons deployed at the campus of these administrative buildings.