EXECUTIVE DECISION
Brakes applied on SRA projects
S Balakrishnan
Officials authorised to identify beneficiaries of the Slum
Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes have decided not to process fresh
applications in view of allegations levelled against some projects. The
implication for the city is that it will have to wait much longer to rid
itself off its slums. Of the 12.5 lakh hutments, only about 1.25 lakh have
been covered so far by the scheme, which was introduced by the erstwhile
Shiv Sena-BJP government. Under this scheme, builders are required to
relocate slumdwellers in flats measuring 225 sq ft each in pucca buildings,
and they can use the area thus vacated to build apartments to be sold in the
open market.
Officials of the collectorate, SRA and the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) met two days ago and unanimously decided not to process
any new SRA applications.
Applications for implementing SRA schemes on state government land were
accepted up to October 31, 2006. This was because the state government was
finalising its new housing policy and there was a proposal to invite open
bids for SRA schemes on its land. Earlier a builder could directly approach
housing societies of slum-dwellers and if 70 per cent of them gave their
consent he would submit his proposal to the SRA.
Following allegations of unfair practices in many SRA schemes, the
government is planning to invite public bids. But if the officials competent
to approve the list of beneficiaries do not do their job then the government
cannot invite the bids. “This will bring the entire scheme to a halt,” an
official who took part in the meeting said on Saturday.
Though no new SRA schemes on state government land were being approved
pending the finalisation of the new housing policy, schemes on private land
were being given the nod. Now even this will stop completely. What has upset
these officials is the spectre of the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) looming
large over all SRA schemes in the metropolis. About 80-odd SRA cases are
being probed by the ACB. “If there are specific charges of acceptance of
bribes against any official then the ACB should proceed against him. But now
all officials are under the scanner,” an official from the collectorate
said.
It is said that the decision to permit the ACB to probe SRA schemes
violates a 1972 circular of the government, which states that before the
bureau is asked to step in, the department concerned itself should have
carried out its own inquiry. In this case, no internal inquiry was done by
the urban development or housing departments.