Indian Express 18.05.2010
Activists slam Mankhurd demolition drive
Express News Service Tags : salms, mankhurd demolition drive Posted: Tue May 18 2010, 05:25 hrs
Mumbai: Four days after 1,250 hutments were razed by the suburban collector’s office and the civic body at Anna Bhau Sathe Nagar in Mankhurd, a few social activists, who oppose the drive, reconstructed the house of a 40-year-old widow, Fatima Khan. Khan’s house was also demolished on Thursday.Along with residents of the razed hutments and those of nearby slums, the activists from National Alliance of People’s Movement entered the fourth day of their protests on Monday. The demolition drive was launched jointly by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the collector’s office.
Though the demolitions have been stalled for the last three days, the dishoused people have been living on the streets. More than 2,900 families and about 10,000 people live in these slum hutments that were slated for demolition.
However, due to the protests of activist groups, the authorities could carry out the drive only on Thursday. “This land belongs to the government. These people had encroached upon the place,” said Dhananjay Sawarkar, additional suburban collector. As many as 38 women were arrested as they protested against the demolition drive on Thursday.
The demolition has seen widespread protest from social activists who have claimed that the families have been staying there for over 25 years and cannot be evicted without being provided with alternative housing. Social activist Medha Patkar said the demolition was being carried out under political pressure and demanded that it should be stopped on humanitarian grounds.
Social activist Mrinal Gore said, “Slum dwellers are being sidelined due to the nexus between the government, builders and bureaucrats. These people have been staying here way before 1995.”
