BMC admits its officials part of slum racket
Lists 89 Cases In 2008 Where They Abetted Illegal Hutments ……..Sharad Vyas | TNN
Mumbai: In this city, where over half of the 15 millionplus residents live in slums, an army of unscrupulous officials, slumlords and politicians is engaged full-time in the ‘business’ of taking possession of government land, extorting money and renting out illegal structures in slum enclaves. This has been proved by the latest figures given by the BMC to the state-appointed Committee for the Prevention of Slums last week.
According to the figures, 89 slumlords and local politicians were found to be active in the business of abetting unauthorised construction in the last year alone, up from 70 in 2007. Worse, last year, a departmental enquiry was initiated against 133 officials—including BMC ward engineers and mukadams—for abetting and delaying action against unauthorized construction.
Municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak, who is also on the committee, handed over the lists to K L Prasad, joint commissioner of police (law and order), urging him to cooperate and take action against those involved. “In spite of adopting several measures, slums continue to thrive due to a nexus between agents, local netas and our lower-level officials. The problem of slums and slumlords has become critical and even though we have lodged FIRs in most of the 89 cases last year, action wasn’t taken in even a single case,’’ said a senior BMC officer.
The highest number of officers was nailed in the eastern suburbs, with Bhandup alone accounting for as many as eleven. The 11 engineers, who have already been found guilty in the departmental enquiry, allowed 76 structures to come up in a no-development zone the size of Azad Maidan on a hilltop near Bhandup Complex. A cartel of nine engineers active in Kurla, Chembur and Govandi has also been found guilty.
Such activities have resulted in suburban areas being pockmarked with hundreds of unauthorized shanties. In Ghatkopar’s Kamraj Nagar and Ramabai Nagar, for example, slumlords have over the years reclaimed a creek to build more than a lakh matchbox-sized shanties.
CITY’S HOME, SHANTY HOME
CITY’S HOME, SHANTY HOME
Population: 15 million
Slumdwellers: 50-60%
Land occupied by slums: About 6%
* Among those found to abet illegal shanty construction are 11 engineers in Bhandup, and 9 engineers in Kurla, Chembur and Govandi
* Over 1 lakh illegal shanties built in reclaimed creek in Ghatkopar over few years
* More than 70% of Juhu slums turned into godowns. In Shastri Nagar, huts of 450 sq ft bought at Rs 5 lakh sold at Rs 16 lakh as commercial property
* A suburban hut of 150-200 sq ft sells for Rs 45,000 to Rs 70,000
* In 2008, enquiries were initiated against 133 officials, and FIRs lodged in most of 89 cases, but no action was taken
BMC gets 190 special cops to help remove illegal shanties
Mumbai: The state-appointed Committee for the Prevention of Slums, which has given the police a list of BMC officials, politicians and slumlords who have been found to abet illegal construction, also informed the BMC that a dedicated force of 190 police officers has been approved, which will work with the BMC to remove unauthorized slums has been approved. “But more needs to be done. We need dedicated police stations like the ones MSEB has, which can register our complaints without worrying about how much they will recover from the parties,’’ officials said.
BMC officials say the process of illegal construction is simple—and difficult to contain. A slumlord identifies open government land and reclaims it by illegally dumping construction debris. Shanties are then constructed with brick masonry and rolling shutters.
Later, the structures are given permanent status with help of officials. A hut of 150 to 200 sq ft goes for anywhere between Rs 45,000 to Rs 70,000 in the suburbs.
“Most people who come to city don’t build slums—they buy instead. We had in fact identified shops that supply construction material to build slums across city. Less than two years after a hut is sold, the owner adds a floor, gets water and electric connections to obtain ration card and voter ID,’’ said a senior officer from the eastern suburbs.
Another dangerous trend is the commercialisation of slums. Slumlords identify hutments that can be converted into commercial godowns. Juhu corporator Adolf D’Souza says more than 70% of slums in his ward have been turned into commercial godowns and shops.
“In Shastri Nagar, one of the bigger slums in Juhu, a 450 sq ft commercial space, which was once a hut that went for about Rs 5 lakh, is now being sold for Rs 16 lakh. The agents easily grease the palms of officials and get the user of structure to change from residential to commercial,’’ he said.
The biggest hurdle is that civic officials have a weak information network, and at the junior level, nobody wants to rock the boat because it’s beneficial for all, so the nexus continues to thrive. “The engineers and mukadams, who know about these unauthorized slum pockets and get support from local politicians and the ward officer, never pass on the information to us. We need to start giving them some sort of incentive to encourage them,’’ said a senior BMC official.
A few years ago, the state assembly had passed a bill providing for punishment and the registration of non-bailable offences against corporators, police officers, ward officers, and owners and occupiers of illegal hutments constructed after January 1, 1995. The Committee for the Prevention of Slums was subsequently formed by the housing ministry and included members from the BMC and police.