The Indian Express             29.11.2013

After PWD, BMC evicts tribals from Mankhurd

A week after the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) evicted over
50 homeless families belonging to Masanjogi community, a denotified
nomadic tribe, from a footpath in Mankhurd, the civic administration
conducted another eviction drive in the same area Thursday.

The community members alleged the police assaulted them and some
students of Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) who tried
restraining the police.

Assistant municipal commissioner of the local ward, Kiran
Dighavkar, said, “The families that had been evicted by the PWD last
week moved to the opposite pavement, which is not in the jurisdiction of
PWD. We had to remove them as they were encroaching the footpath
illegally.”

Dighavkar said the action was taken after residents of the
housing society along the road complained of nuisance due to these
people.

The tribal families have been living on the footpaths of Neetu
Manke Road near Agarwadi in Mankhurd for the past two years, said a
senior civic official.

“A few months ago, we removed them from one side of the pavement
after which they shifted to the opposite side. They are continuing to
occupy either side of the road although both PWD and BMC have previously
given them warnings to evict these footpaths,” said a senior civic
official.

“Despite the demands from these families, we cannot allow them
alternate accommodation as they do not have any proof of residing in the
area before 1995, which is the cut-off year for providing alternate
accommodation to homeless,” said Dighavkar.

However, the tribal families alleged that BMC officials burnt
their ration cards, voter ID cards and UID cards. “We have nowhere to
go. We have lived here for over two decades,” said Ram Chandra, one of
the tribals.

A few tribals and students of TISS were taken to Trombay police
station, where they were detained till late evening. “The police beat up
a few students too,” said Alia Farooqui, a student.

It was only after TISS director Dr S Parshuraman went to the police station that those detained were released.

“The BMC along with the Trombay police reached Agarwadi area in
Mankhurd without any eviction notice. We have now shifted the tribals to
TISS campus,” said Dr Parsuraman.

This is the third time the Tribals have been evicted from the area.

Meanwhile, taking suo motu congisance of a report in Newsline on
November 20 regarding PWD evicting the tribal families, the State Human
Rights Commission (SHRC) has sent a notice to the PWD and BMC.

“We have evicted the families as they were illegally occupying
the footpaths. We are not aware of any SHRC inquiry into the matter,”
said Dighavkar.