The Times of India 07.09.2009
'Post-2000 slums can be regularised'
MUMBAI: With the state assembly election round the corner, vote bank politics has begun. In a bid to woo slum dwellers-that forms a sizeable population of the city voters, Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam has said he has no objection even if post-2000 slums are regularised. Nirupam said this on Sunday while addressing a gathering in his North Mumbai parliamentary constituency in the western suburbs.
"It is wrong to assume that slums add to the burden on the state infrastructure,'' he said in a reply to a query on the state's decision to regularise the slums constructed prior to January 1, 2000.
Nirupam's statement has invited flak not only from the NGOs, the Opposition (Shiv Sena-BJP combine), but also from the Congress' ally, the NCP. Senior NCP leader from the city, Sachin Ahir, said, "January 1, 2000 should be the final cut-off date for regularising the slums in the city. No slum constructed in the city thereafter should be regularised or protected by the state government or the civic administration.''
In the state cabinet meeting presided over by the chief minister Ashok Chavan a month ago, the proposal to regularise slums constructed before January 1, 2000, was cleared by the government. The Congress, when it came to power in 1999, had filed an affidavit in court that it will not extend the 1995 cut-off date. Later, in its election manifesto of 2004, the Congress promised to regularise the slums till January 1, 2000, and filed a fresh affidavit in Bombay high court seeking extension of the cut-off deadline till 2000. But with the court unwilling to extend the deadline, the state government has moved the Supreme Court. "We have filed a special petition seeking permission to extend the cut-off date,'' said Chavan during a press conference on August 29.
"This is a clear case of vote bank politics,'' said Vidya Vaidya, social activist fighting against the encroachment on public space. The government should first induce proper system to rehabilitate the existing slums rather than extending the deadlines to regularise the slums in the city, she added.
Significantly, the state's economic survey this year has mentioned that the slums and migrants are adding to the burden on the state infrastructure.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray has blamed the Shiv Sena for the mushrooming of illegal slums in the city. At a public function in Vile Parle last week, Thackeray alleged that the Sena has failed to curb the menace of slums in Mumbai. Nirupam, too, echoed Raj's views. "People living in slums should not be blamed. Constructing slums and selling them to poor people has become a business. Civic and police officials are to be blamed for this,'' he added.
Refuting these allegations, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "The Congress is ignoring the security threat to the city and, for its personal gain, the government is extending the cut-off dates to regularise slums in Mumbai.''
"It is wrong to assume that slums add to the burden on the state infrastructure,'' he said in a reply to a query on the state's decision to regularise the slums constructed prior to January 1, 2000.
Nirupam's statement has invited flak not only from the NGOs, the Opposition (Shiv Sena-BJP combine), but also from the Congress' ally, the NCP. Senior NCP leader from the city, Sachin Ahir, said, "January 1, 2000 should be the final cut-off date for regularising the slums in the city. No slum constructed in the city thereafter should be regularised or protected by the state government or the civic administration.''
In the state cabinet meeting presided over by the chief minister Ashok Chavan a month ago, the proposal to regularise slums constructed before January 1, 2000, was cleared by the government. The Congress, when it came to power in 1999, had filed an affidavit in court that it will not extend the 1995 cut-off date. Later, in its election manifesto of 2004, the Congress promised to regularise the slums till January 1, 2000, and filed a fresh affidavit in Bombay high court seeking extension of the cut-off deadline till 2000. But with the court unwilling to extend the deadline, the state government has moved the Supreme Court. "We have filed a special petition seeking permission to extend the cut-off date,'' said Chavan during a press conference on August 29.
"This is a clear case of vote bank politics,'' said Vidya Vaidya, social activist fighting against the encroachment on public space. The government should first induce proper system to rehabilitate the existing slums rather than extending the deadlines to regularise the slums in the city, she added.
Significantly, the state's economic survey this year has mentioned that the slums and migrants are adding to the burden on the state infrastructure.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray has blamed the Shiv Sena for the mushrooming of illegal slums in the city. At a public function in Vile Parle last week, Thackeray alleged that the Sena has failed to curb the menace of slums in Mumbai. Nirupam, too, echoed Raj's views. "People living in slums should not be blamed. Constructing slums and selling them to poor people has become a business. Civic and police officials are to be blamed for this,'' he added.
Refuting these allegations, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "The Congress is ignoring the security threat to the city and, for its personal gain, the government is extending the cut-off dates to regularise slums in Mumbai.''
