Residents protest BMC’s demolition
Ambedkar Nagar residents allege High Court stay order was dismissed through manipulation
AROUND 15-20 ‘C’ building residents of Ambedkar Nagar (Tulsiwadi) protested against the demolition and eviction drive by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday. The residents alleged that they were being forcibly evicted without any prior notice or intimation.
“No work order has been shown to us. We will go only if they force us to leave,” said Pravin Vanel, a resident of the building.
Pushpa Nawar, another resident and caretaker to Lata Mangeshkar, said: “The police came in forcibly and manhandled my husband. He’s (H Nawar) a heart patient and this incident has worsened his state.” Nawar and another resident were later admitted to Nair Hospital when they complained of chest pain.
The ‘C’ building is among the nine buildings occupied by staff members of BMC. The corporation had carried out similar demolitions on two other buildings at Ambedkar Nagar (‘B’ and ‘D’) last year.
In November 2006 under Section 354 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, the municipal body had served a notice to the occupants asking them to “vacate the premises and shift to a transit accommodation” as the “building is in ruinous condition and likely to fall and dangerous to any person occupying it”.
This was followed by a high court stay order on the drive in December 2006 after 15 residents filed a writ petition against it.
“It was after the BMC spent Rs 27 lakh on repair work at various buildings at Ambedkar Nagar, particularly at building ‘C’ that they served the eviction notice. What was the point of spending so much then?” questioned Maru.
Said D-ward sitting corporator B Kohli: “They knew that eviction was on February 17. I was also ready to go to the ward officer with them for a month’s extension last week. But the residents did not come.”
However, not all residents were unhappy with the drive. “There’s no reason to protest since BMC has promised to give us possession of rooms in the same area within three years. And while the work is on, we have been asked to shift to transit camps,” said Vinod Baria.
Added Nirmala Baria, another resident: “We live in a joint family and the camp rooms are too small for 12 people to live in. The annual exams are also going on. It will be very inconvenient, but if they force us we will have to leave.”
Rehman Kadri, treasurer of Tulsiwadi Navnirman Society informed that the 420 residents of Ambedkar Nagar, 304 residents of S K Rathod Marg and 2,500 slum dwellers in the area come under the BMC Urban Renewal Scheme.
“Accordingly, they have been given assurance letters of ownership flats by 2010. Also, post the stay order, the 15 residents themselves filed an affidavit giving their consent to the demolition and development plans,” said Kadri. Following the affidavit, the High Court stay was vacated and the matter was dismissed on February 21, 2007.
The residents, however, have a different story to tell and say that the corporation managed to dismiss the stay through manipulation and that most of the names on the affidavit have not given their consent.
Said V B Badha, a resident: “I never signed an agreement. Only the BMC can tell you how they got my name on that affidavit.”
The protesting residents were taken to the police station. However, no arrests have been made. After requests made by the residents, the eviction of four rooms was postponed by a day.
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