Mumbai, Demostration to support alternative to evictions in Dharavi
About 300 affected people demonstrated against evictions threatened by MCGB (Mumbai, March 23 2011)
PROUD carried out a demonstration on 23rd March, 2011, attended by more 300 inhabitants, to pressurise their demands to face the threats of evictions, providing alternative house in agreement with the affected families current living on pipeline.
PROUD understand the importance of repairing drinking water pipe that supply water to the entire city of Mumbai, but the recent eviction notice to the residents of Pipeline in Dharavi and MCGB’s offer of alternative accommodation at Mahul/ Mandala/Mankhurd, very far from the present location, is not fair and just. Besides, the eviction also violate the affected people’s basic right to life and livelihood as most of them are involved in hand-to-mouth jobs like domestic help, house-keeping, and recycling jobs.
The evictions also constitute a gross violation of the art. 11 ICECSR and the UN General Comments n. 4-7 and new Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacement issued by the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing of the UN Commission on Human Rights.
To try to address the situation, on 19th March, 2011, PROUD had a meeting with local elected representatives i.e. local Municipal Corporators, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), state minister from Dharavi and other community leaders with Asst. Municipal Commissioner G/North ward and the Ward chief officer on Pipeline residents of Dharavi. As a result, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has offered 2-3 sites for alternative accommodation which is far from the present location for the affected people living and possessing documents till the year 2000 (as per Govt. Policy).
Most of the affected families are very poor engaged in domestic work, cleaning and maintenance jobs apart from recycling works. PROUD has been demanding alternative accomodation for all the affected families within Dharavi or wait until the implementation of Dharavi redevelopment Project which is since long pending.
Failing to meet their demands, the community have left with no alternative solutions than to resort to peaceful protest agitations.
First step, the demostration carried-out on 23rd March, 2011.