www.sacw.net | 28 March 2005 > Victims and refugees of 'Development', 'Nation Building' and Conflict in the Indian Subcontinent
Bombay: The Metropolis And The Land - Whom Does It Belong?
by Sanjay Sangvai and Raju Bhise
The massive demolition drive of hutments or slums in Mumbai was unprecedented. Over 90,000 houses were razed to the ground, rendering 4,00,000 men, women and children without any shelter. They have been living in squalor, in open, with hunger, many diseases and with no livelihood. This time, the police and administration indulged in their customary brutalities. Hundreds of people were arrested on fake charges, were jailed, injured in lathicharge and teargas.
" What if these officers are evicted like this from their houses? What if their children could not appear for exams, as they had no homes? And what if their women and growing daughters too are left without protection, or simple facilities like toilets?" It may sound coarse and crude, but that was the rage. The same rage was evident when 700 or them came to Delhi and held dharna at the gates of Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from March 15 to 18, 2005. They came along with the oustees of Sardar Sarovar Project. The dam oustees and the urban evictees came together for a common battle.
The ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress party and other parties' United Democratic Front came to power with the help of the votes from the poor, backward and minorities. Most of them live in the slums, not by their choice. The Front in its pre-election manifesto made a specific assurance of regularizing and developing the slums in Mumbai prior to 2000. At the Center, the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the United Progressive Alliance government expressly states that the government will protect the rights of the slum dwellers in urban areas and would provide them with adequate housing. On December 8, 2004, the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, announced in the winter session of the Assembly at Nagpur the plan for development of infrastructure and beautification of Mumbai. He told that the Prime Minister has assured him of central assistance, and it would cost about Rs.31, 800 crores. For that, as a first step, all the encroachments - that is the slums - on the government lands after 1995 would be evicted.
Well Planned
As the Chief Minister was announcing the decision in Nagpur, the metropolitan Commissioner Mr. Johnny Joseph was almost ready for a full-scale military-like crackdown. He had already summoned more than 4 to 5,000 policepersons and security personnel including the state reserve police (SRP), to provide protection for specially drafted officers' team against the irate 'mobs'. The Commissioner were given orders for a summary demolitions of the post-1995 slums without going into the details of every house.
And thus started the simultaneous demolition and destruction of thousands of huts. In Govandi and Malavani some 8000 houses were demolished in one day. Entire modus operendi was like a war against our own people. No notices were given; police encircled the settlements, the officials directed the bulldozers to demolish houses; People cried, shouted and were helpless as they saw the destruction of their life-savings and shelter before their eyes. Some of them tried to resist by pelting stones on accompanying police and officials, which made easy for police to let loose the repression. Rajendra Srivastava of Anand Nagar in Andheri (W) committed suicide on December 9, while on December 20 at Manglewadi (Juhu) Rajendra Chaddha died due to burns, yet police recorded it as suicide. Shankar Potgire died due to extreme cold at Subhashnagar (Ghatkoapar) on January 5. Many children died during the chaotic action. Pregnant or lactating mothers, women, young menstruating girls were compelled to live under open sky. More than 1,50,000 students were preparing for the exams when their houses were demolished; they lost one year and who knows their entire future.
The Deputy Chief Minister Mr. R.R. Patil's attempts to compel the officials to demolish unauthorized 592 structures of the rich people, invited derision and defiance from the officials. As the operation was in full swing, the metropolis hosted the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan' (non-resident Indians'- NRIs- convention). The Prime Minister assured the dual citizenship for the NRIs and the CM requested them to invest and participate in the development of Maharashtra.
By the end of December 2004, 50,000 hutments were removed with more than 2, 50,000 people. The cost of the operation was Rs. 84 crores. The state government claimed that it 'recovered' 300 acre of land worth Rs.1500 crores. By February 2005, over 4,00,000 people from the 56 slums were removed by demolishing 90,000 houses.
People's Resistance and Aftermath
However, there were voices of resistance; some small political parties and the major Left parties like Janata Dal, CPI, CPM and others expressed their opposition to this inhuman act. On December 15, the slum dwellers organized protest at Azad Maidan. Over 100 evictees stormed Mantralaya and reached upto Chief Minister's office to demand to stop the demolitions.
On December 31, over 22 organizations in Mumbai formed 'Zopadpatti Bachao Samyukta Kruti Samiti' (Joint Action Committee for Saving Slumdwellers). From February 2, 2205, the organized and comprehensive resistance was launched. People held pickets near the Mantralaya. From next day evicted people started raising their houses at the same place; in Rafiq Nagar (Govandi) and other settlements. In many settlements people stopped the bulldozers. On February 11, over 500 protesting people and activists arrested; police beat about 300 persons who demanded their release.
On February 13, over 500 people held protest at the headquarters of the state Congress. A delegation of the people met the State party President Mrs. Prabha Rau and Mrs. Margaret Alva who assured justice and protection of the people's rights. Earlier, they apprised Mrs. Alvar of the situation and the asserted that the development plan must first take cognizance of the common people. There have been rumblings within the ruling alliance and many leaders opposed the state government's plan. The NCP supreme, Sharad Pawar also opined for 'rehabilitation before eviction'. As a result Sonia Gandhi summoned Mr. Deshmukh and advised to go slow on the demolition and honour the promise given in the Manifesto.
However, despite these promises the demolitions of slums before 2000 still continued. On February 21, Medha Patkar and 12 colleagues were arrested and were jailed on false charges. Medha Patkar even refused to take food as a protest. On the fifth day of the fast, the state government agreed to withdraw all the false cases registered against people and activists, allow temporary shelter in the slums where people were residing and assured participation of people's organizations in the process of rehabilitating them.
Well Behaved Media!
The injudicious and nasty role of almost all the media - newspapers and TV channels, English or Marathi, in Mumbai towards the fate of the evicted people was most striking. Of course, English and Marathi versions of Times and express group spoke the same language. Almost all them have strenuously repeated ad nauseum the canard of the 'illegal encroachers', filthy slum dwellers, usurping on water and electricity of the city, the prime space occupied by 'outsiders' and slums being haven of anti-social elements. Barring some honourable exceptions like the eveninger 'Mahanagar''Navakal' and 'The Hindu', no newspaper had looked at the condition of the lakhs of evicted people, despite the fact that there was so much 'news' or 'human interest story' in the situation. Instead, they chose to give more or almost exclusive coverage to the statements and rhetoric of 'Making Mumbai a la Shanghai' or to the statements of the builders, industrialists and political leaders endorsing the demolitions.
Moreover, the media tried to stifle the voice of those who were raising the issues of human and democratic rights of the evicted people. They almost ridiculed those who question the wisdom of such a large scale eviction and demolitions. In that they tried to zero on one activist - Medha Patkar - and tried to question her as to why she came to Mumbai! The leaders of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh also ask the similar question - why did she come to Narmada, leaving Mumbai!
Whose City?
The metropolis, which has been once the center of manufacturing industries and as a result people from various parts of Maharashtra- particularly the drought prone areas- and from all over India came and settled here for livelihood. However, the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Plan (MMRD) in 1992-93 envisages the transformation of the metropolis into a center of service industry instead of manufacturing industry. In the late 1990s, the builders and industrialists realized that there the mainland Mumbai, that is from Fort-Colaba to Mahim, Ville-Parle and Ghatkpar-Mulund or so which has become prime land by now, has no private land for the 'development' they conceive - i.e. the high-rise buildings, the high-income settlements with better market prices.
According to a senior journalist, covering the meetings of the 'Mumbai-First' of 'Citizens' Action Group' (CAG), the builders and investors openly talked about their plans. These bodies got a plan prepared by the corporate consultancy firm, McKinsey for Mumbai -Vision Mumbai. They were successful in making the earlier Sushil Kumar Shinde government adopt that plan as government plan for Mumbai's development. One may wonder why the private investors and builders became so anxious about the encroachments on government lands. In the remaining area, there are residential areas of middle-class or lower middle class.
According the reliable sources, these outfits have also noted the fact that in many of these prime land area under slums or middle class settlements, Muslims and Marathi communities have been living in groups and that people living as community of group are hard to pressurize or compel to move out. They were clear that they could not get the land for development without removing the two kind of people - the hutments dwellers and middle / lower middle class which is get in the way of the much valued land by the builders. The CAG consists of the renowned builders like Nanik Rupani, Hiranandani, industrial tycoons Ambanis, Adi Godrej and other prominent persons in Mumbai.
As the massive demolitions were in full swing, on January 5, the elite in Mumbai under the banner of Mumbai First and Citizens Action Committee met and applauded the Chief Minister for the massive demolition operation. They asked him not to slow down under the pressure of 'vote politics' and asked him to repeal the Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA) and Rent Control Act and Coastal Regulation Zone regulation 'for solving the pressing problems of slums in Mumbai, by encouraging the builders'. They also met the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on January 7, 2005, when he came to inaugurate the Pravasi Bharatiya (non-resident Indian) convention in Mumbai. Present at the occasion were the Mr. Vijay Mahajan, Nayar, industrialists Mukesh Ambani, Adi Godrej, builder Nanik Rupani, the editor of Marathi daily Loksatta, Kumar Ketkar. While complementing the Prime Minister and his Chief Minister and state government on unflinchingly going ahead with the demolition drive without bowing before the pressure of 'vote-bank politics', they repeated the demands regarding repeal of CRZ and ULCA.
Where is the land?
Often, it is asked by the power holders and even the laypersons that where is the land in Mumbai for such a large influx of people. First this has to be accepted that cities like Mumbai would continue to attract the people unless their own area is developed -that is provides livelihood opportunities and the other benefits of development. Thus the influx of the people cannot be and should not be avoided.
There is enough land and legal provisions in Mumbai for the housing of the resettlement of the present population of Mumbai. With this demolition, the government 'released' 300 acres of land. According to Mrinal Gore, the veteran Socialist leader, there is about 5000 acres of land available in the city, if the government seriously applies the Urban Land Ceiling Act. Some samples:
Name Land Available Godrej company 3, 500 acres Behramji Jeejeebhoy 800 acres Esselworld 500 acres Aamir Amusement Parks 300 acres
If the state government seriously applies the Urban Land Ceiling Act to all localities of Mumbai, hundreds of more acres could be available. The builders have grabbed many concessions on it in the name of providing houses for the poor.
Hundreds of acres of lands of textile mills, which were closed by the owners, could be made available for resettling the people, after building houses for the workers of those companies.
According to the Slum Development Act (1971), the slums could be provided facilities of sanitation, water, electricity by the state. In the initial period, there were some good schemes. That Act still can be used to develop the existing settlements.
The Maharashtra Housing Development Authority (MHADA), was supposed to build houses for the poor or lower middle classes. However, since late 1980s, the MHADA has stopped developing the Lower Income Group (LIG) housing and instead concentrated only on housing for higher or middle classes.
Like all those builders-industrialists, ministers, bureaucrats, professionals, artists, journalists and all the sundry film-TV- wallahs, the itty-bitty actors and actresses, directors, writers, who came in Mumbai for the search for their livelihood, career, prospects for development, to realize the 'dreams'- these 4,00, 000 or more people too came for the same things.
No doubt, there is certain percentage of goons and cheats, who can be found everywhere. People did not come to Zopadpatti to become criminals or Zopadpatti do not bred criminals. The higher and middle classes have very curious notions about the social reality
The Demands
Keeping in the view this reality of the people, their rights, land availability and the development of the metropolis, the Zopadpatti Bachao Samyukta Kruti Samiti has made some initial demands, given to Mrs. Alva to pursue with the government of Maharashtra and the policy-making at the Center.
STOP inhuman demolitions at once. Withdraw the police force and Private security contracts harassing and committing atrocities till date. Respect the electoral promise and protect all slums and houses built prior to 2000, improving the slums and rehabilitating dwellers where necessary.
Rehabilitate all people in the same place. Constitute a joint task force with government, non-government organisations working in the affected area and community representatives acceptable to us. Pay compensation worth at least Rs 30, 000 per family to those whose houses and belongings have been demolished and recognise the importance of their electoral and human rights in a democratic society.
Accept identity proofs like ration cards, photo pass survey receipts and other government documents along with voter's identity card as eligible identity proofs for rehabilitation. Issue immediate photo identity pass to slum dwellers who have been surveyed before 1995 or later.
Transfer ownership of land on which the hutments stand, onto the names of the hutment dwellers and plan and execute low cost housing scheme for the affected through people's cooperatives, keeping builders out.
Enact a national rehabilitation policy for any type of displacement and forced evictions.
Implement the Urban Land Ceiling Act and acquire lands belonging large corporates and landowner and utilise them for housing for urban poor.
In the city development plan, there should be a provision to ensure that every person who comes to the city of Mumbai should be provided affordable housing and demarcate separate land for slums, poor and marginalized sections. In planning the Vision of Mumbai, keep in mind the culture of the city, its history and other indicators of human development, especially taking into consideration the vision of the poor 60% of Mumbai's population. It should evolve out of dialogue with labourers - organised and unorganised, pavement and slum dwellers, tenants etc.
Protect the lives and livelihoods, shelter and land belonging to and occupied and utilized by the mill workers and fisher people.
End Note
Instead of large-scale demolitions and evictions, there is a need of the proper planning for the region, town or metropolis. There is an urgent need that the a new people's plan for Mumbai, instead of any plan by the McKinsey or any other corporate companies. The development of country is not a corporate affair; monetary investment is not the only purpose of city planning. There is a need that the Maharashtra government must come forward for such a new plan with the meaningful participation of people's organizations working in that area or concerned with the issue.
Even if that materialized or not, the people's organizations must take initiative, along with some expert institution or academic body, to prepare a People's Plan of Development of Mumbai. The environmental organizations in Pune have prepared such a plan. That can be done by every city, region- preparing people's plans for our own cities and villages and for every sector. That will be further deepening of struggle for alternative development and democracy.
Address: Sanjay Sangvai, 7, Chintamani, 19, Shikshak Nagar, Paud Rd., Kothrud, Pune-411038.
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