13 July,2021 07:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Celine Sequeira outside Stone Castle on Monday. Pic/Satej Shinde
Celine Sequeira, 83, whose IC Colony residence was in the middle of redevelopment-related litigation, was evicted by civic officials on Monday. With no other place to go and no alternative accommodation being provided, Sequeira was stuck on the road, vulnerable to the elements till evening when her daughter came to her aid. mid-day had reported about Sequeira's plight when in May, she had had to live without water and power after the civic body cut off supply. It was restored after mid-day reported about her plight.
Sequeira told mid-day, "It has been raining heavily but officials did not bother about my safety. First, police assured me that they will put me in a government-run old-age home. But after throwing me out, they told the society members and others to arrange my accommodation."
Sequeira moved in with her brother in the flat at Stone Castle Society 35 years ago. Her brother died in 2001 and since then, Sequeira had been living alone. She made ends meet by keeping paying guests.
"I did not transfer the flat in my name as I want the property to go to my brother's children who are in US and Canada. I have proof that I resided in the society as I paid maintenance and power bills," Sequeira said.
Celine Sequeira outside Stone Castle society during the eviction and sealing on Monday. Pic/Satej Shinde
Sequeira claimed, "A few days ago, the BMC issued a notice to vacate the flat as they were going to cut power and water supply. Suddenly, on Monday, BMC officials broke open my flat's door, did not let me have lunch and forcefully evicted me from my house at 4 pm. All my valuables and furniture has been handed to me by the police. In the heavy rain, BMC and police left me to die on the road," said Sequeira, who was the only resident left in the society.
On Monday evening, Sequeira's daughter, who lives in Dahisar, took her to her residence. "If this structure is indeed dangerous, then I should be given alternative accommodation first. Now I have nowhere to go," Sequeira said.
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A resident of the area, Elsie Rodriguez, who has been helping Sequeira for the past few months, said, "How can they evict Sequeira without giving her alternative accommodation? The police asked us to accommodate her instead. We pointed this out but the police and BMC sealed the society and left the spot."
Sequeira added, "It is my last wish to die in that house as I have my memories with my brother Paul tied to it."
Senior Police Inspector Popat Yele of MHB police station said, "It was a high court order as per which the building had to be vacated and BMC took our help. We shot the entire proceedings on video and carried out the eviction as per rules. All Sequeira's valuables, food and medicines were given to her. We also called her daughter, Voilet, and asked her to take Sequeira home."
A section of the society members, who have been against the redevelopment, had got a structural audit and inspection done in March, which categorised the building as a C2-B category that involves major structural repairs but no eviction. Whereas, the civic body had determined the building to be of C-1 category - needing immediate demolition. The society members had also approached the court against the redevelopment. However, last week, the high court ordered that the building be vacated.
R North Ward's Assistant Commissioner Sandhya Nandedkar said, "We have the Bombay High Court order to vacate all flats of Stone Castle Society and seal the building for demolition. Any building under the C-1 category has to be vacated and demolished. We found through enquiries that Sequeira is residing in the flat but it is in the name of her dead brother. On further enquiry, we found that she has kin in Mumbai itself who can take care of her. In case no one takes responsibility, then we will keep her in a shelter home. But she has her son and daughter here."
MLA Manisha Chaudhary told mid-day that Sequeira and her brother's children are part of a court case over the flat. "Now Sequeira and her brother's children have to fight it out in the court. We told her that we will accommodate her in an old-age home, but Sequeira refused. Her daughter took Sequeira home in the evening. Sequeira's daughter and son should take care of her. Leaving elderly kin alone is not right."
35
No. of years that Sequeira has been living in the society
