Their habitat is risky, rehabilitate them: Activists to CM Uddhav Thackeray

The kuchha homes damaged by the heavy rainfall

Several activists have written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, pointing to the hazardous living conditions of thousands of families settled atop hills along the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and requesting their rehabilitation.

They want the families to be shifted from Ambedkar Nagar at Kurar Village in Malad East to the nearby 510 project-affected people (PAP) housing in Kandivli. In the letter, they pointed out that the houses are made of bamboo and plastic, making it even more dangerous during heavy rainfall like the past few days.

"Every monsoon, these houses get severely flooded due to lack of drainage facilities," Bilal Khan from Ghar Bachao Ghar Banan, one of the activists who sought the CM's intervention, told mid-day. "Sloping topography makes it worse, as flood water enters the kuchcha houses. The recent downpour and flash floods have destroyed all their personal belongings; and their lives are always at risk... Rainwater also brings down rocks from the mountain, and there is also a risk of landslides."

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Kuchha houses a risk

"Moreover, since this settlement is on the Forest Department's land, belonging to the SGNP, no pucca construction is allowed. They don't even have legal water and electricity connections, and toilet facilities. They have been living in these conditions for more than two decades."

The occupants are mostly employed as security guards, domestic help, labourers, delivery persons, side actors, etc., working either on daily wages or on contract. A family's average monthly income is not more than Rs 10,000. When asked about their request for rehabilitation in Kandivli, Khan said, "Kandivli is close and the move won't affect their work or their children's schooling. If they're sent far away, they will have to start their life from scratch and it is too much to expect from people with a weak economic background and without any government support."

Looted by mafia

Bilal's organisation has been working with these communities since the July 2019 flooding. "The people here are also trapped in a poverty cycle, as all their savings go into paying off water and electricity charges to local mafias that provide these amenities at a higher cost."

The Chief Minister's Office has forwarded the activists' representation to Dr Nitin Kareer, principal secretary, Revenue Deptartment.

The activists said the Bombay High Court had directed the Maharashtra government in 1997 to rehabilitate these communities. However, only about 12,000 families were rehabilitated to Chandivli, the remaining 13,000 families are still waiting for their turn. Lara Jesani from People's Union for Civil Liberties, Brinelle D'souza from Jan Swasthya Abhiya Mumbai and TISS, Shweta Damle from Habitat and Livelihood Welfare Association and Sitaram Shelar from Centre for Promotion of Democracy are among other signatories on the letter.

13,000
No. of families living in the area