As per a report of the Hindustan Times, pursuant to the temporary halting on the demolitions, the residents returned to the site, where some buildings were found to be standing amongst the debris- saved by the protest. 

This action came after oral announcements regarding the impending demolitions had been made by the BMC on February 2, which were accompanied with assurances of rehabilitation albeit scarce details. When the bulldozers arrived at the now partly demolished site along with police protection on the morning of February 6, the residents were left unprepared. As per the report of Hindustan Times, resident Saira Abbas Shaikh alleged that the police were not letting the residents reach their houses. 

The demolitions:

At the beginning of this week, on February 7 and 8, BMC officers and workers started the demolition of “illegal” structures made of tin and bamboo in a colony in Panchsheel Nagar that had around 300 homes. In the aforementioned two days, BMC demolished around 200 structures, mostly occupied by Dalit, Buddhist, and Muslim families, many of whom claim to have been living there for over 20 years. According to a report of Maktoob media, even the houses marked safe in the project map, and despite promises made by Pujari, Assistant Engineer Maintenance of BMC, were not spared. As per the report, at least 13 such old houses and around 100 such newer houses were also demolished by the authorities, leading to the unjust displacement of families.

As per multiple media reports, the residents claimed that no prior notice was served to them in accordance to law and that the said demolition drive had been carried out in haste giving them no time to collect their belongings.

Multiple narratives provided by the residents found place in the report of the Hindustan Times that covered the said demolitions. As provided by resident Dilshad Ansari, “I had gone to drop my children to school when the demolition started. No one else was home. It was the same in many houses, as people had gone to work. The police asked us to vacate immediately, leaving us little time to take our belongings before crushing our homes with bulldozers.”

Although the BMC has demolished their homes to reclaim government land, the residents have asserted that they have been staying at their houses for more than 20 years. As per the Free Press Journal report, Jairam Lokhande, whose house was demolished on Tuesday stated, “I have lived in this area for 22 years and this is the fourth time BMC has demolished my house. We were at peace since no demolition had taken place in the last five years but this time they came suddenly with full power and destroyed everything.”

The protest:

On February 7, as per the report of the Free Press Journal, as the demolitions took place, residents of slums in Panchshil Nagar of Govandi had refused to leave the area. Rather, they decided to rebuild their homes at the same site. As per the report, they set up makeshift pandals at the entrance of the colony as a defence against any further demolition. 

It was claimed by the residents that the action undertaken by BMC was illegal as it violated the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance, and Redevelopment) Act, which mandates due process and rehabilitation for slum dwellers.

The call for protest was raised by the Jan Haq Sangharsh Samiti. Hundreds of residents reached the BMC office and staged a protest against the officers alleging the demolition to be illegal and not having been carried out in pursuance to the conduction of any survey. According to the residents and the activist organisation, most of the bastis in Panchsheel Nagar existed prior to the year 2011, making them eligible for paid rehabilitation. However, as provided by the organisation, the BMC failed to produce Annexure 2 of the list of eligible and ineligible houses before demolition, further exacerbating the disregard for due process. 

The incident has shed light on the deep-seated bias towards marginalized communities and the urgent need for accountability in urban development processes, the Jan Haq Sangharsh Samiti said. A press note had also been released by the Samiti on February 8. It has been provided by them that a total of 7 days has been given to the corporation to submit a written reply to complaint submitted by the protestors in reference to the demolitions. These demands raised by the residents and the organisation include stopping the demolitions till the proper procedure is done; restoring water and electricity connections; making a list of eligible and ineligible slum dwellers based on documents submitted; holding hearings in case of objections; and correct the incorrect data based on which demolitions were done. 

Vandana Tayde, a resident of Panchshil Nagar and the vice-president of Jan Haq Sangharsh Samiti provided to the Free Press Journal that, “This is not just demolition but a process of evacuation. We have to assert our right on this land we have been living on for decades and therefore we have advised everyone to start making their homes again because if we leave this place for a moment, it will be snatched from us.”

The protestors have asserted that if a proper reply is not given to them by the BMS, they will be back at the office to protest. 

The press note can be read here:

The protesting residents as well as the Samiti has also raised a call for social activists and lawyers to join their ongoing struggle against the state repression. Through the call, Jan Haqq Sangarsh Samiti has urged people to join their protest on February 10 between 3 pm to 6 pm. As per the information provided by them, the agenda behind the protest will be to- 

• Develop strategies against illegal and arbitrary use of power to evict people and bastis
• To build a support network against coercive actions of police on activists and basti leaders
• Demanding rights on multiple fronts (water, electricity, shelter etc) in cases of evictions across MMR.
• Building a network of such cases across MMR to support each other and create positive changes in the law.

Related:

Demolitions as retributive state policy used against minorities in India: Amnesty

Spate of Demolitions continue, 44 Muslim families asked to vacate homes: Kushinagar, UP

Maharashtra: Bulldozer Raj, tensions rise in Kolhapur’s Laxtirth Vasahat Colony after administration demolishes Madrasa under pressure from Hindutva organisations

Rajasthan: State Education Minister warns of bulldozer action against teachers

“Bulldozer raj” in Chhattisgarh too?

134 houses razed, two mosques next: “Bulldozer Justice” continues

Violence in Junagadh over demolition notice to dargah; 1 dead, several injured

The post Govandi slum demolition: Temporary halt after protests outside BMC office by residents, those rendered homeless to rebuild their homes at the same site appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The St Peters Church along with the Bombay Catjolioc Sabha organised a large vigil and Candle Prayer March in Bandra yesterday, January 10. The silent protest against the BMC’s views to unilaterally acquire land for over a century with the Catholic and Jewish communities began at 5.00 pm starting from St. Peter’s Church Square and concluded at Seaside Cemetery, in protest against the unjustified methods of the BMC to acquire Cemetery Land.

A statement issued by the Sabha meanwhile said that while there are available options (for the road widening) like developing the existing partly developed 18.3 mtrs ( Nirmala Colony DP Road ) behind the Jewish Cemetery by clearing any bottlenecks as the same is also meeting the Kadeshwari Mandir Marg and parallel to this Marg, the BMChas inexplicably shosen this spot.

Father Reuben Tellis, the Parish Priest of Mt. Carmel Church said the opening prayers at the beginning of the march. Fr. Lancy Pinto said the prayers at the Cemetery . Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas, Parish Priest of St. Peters Church gave a brief background of the issue and why we should unite and raise our voices . Mr. Abraham Yehuda representing the Jewish Cemetery thanked Fr. Frazer and the Christian Community in standing in solidarity with them as the Jewish Cemetery has also received a similar notice to acquire their Cemetery too.

The gathering resolved that we will not allow the BMC authorities to rest until this unjust ‘Grave’ notice and the amendments to the DP plan are not withdrawn unconditionally. Besides, the community will keep a watch and has concerned authorities to immediately resolve the issue. If unresolved, other options to agitate with other Citizens and Communities across the Mumbai City would be explored. The statement, that also thanked the Bandra police officials for arrangements for the protest was issued by  Dolphy D’souza President, Bombay Catholic Sabha
Adv. Godfrey Pimenta, Founder & Trustee Watchdog Foundation

Bombay Catholic Sabha rebuts BJP MLA Shelar’s claims

Meanwhile, the Free Press Journal reports that a tweet by local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of the Legislative Assembly Ashish Shelar about the withdrawal of a notice about the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) taking possession of St. Peter’s Sea Side Cemetery on Kadeshwari Road in Bandra is “misleading” said Bombay Catholic Sabha president Dolphy D’Souza. “Being an advocate he is supposed to be well acquainted with law of the land,” Mr D’Souza said while rebutting Mr Shelar’s claim. The Church was not served the withdrawal notice, rebuttal reveals

The rebuttal issued by both D’Souza and Adv Godfrey Pimenta of Watchdog Foundation asks how an assistant municipal commissioner of H/West ward can withdraw what a senior officer, joint municipal commissioner (zone III), has done. It also points out that the withdrawal is actually about keeping things in abeyance. The press release issued by Mr D’Souza also highlighted that the church was not served the withdrawal notice that was given to a local politician who waved it at a meeting held on Friday to protest the land acquisition notice.

The Free Press Journal had in its report highlighted that the notice was being withdrawn by a junior officer. “We wanted to correct the misleading information that is being spread. In Government protocol, certain officers have the power to issue certain types of notices. A junior cannot withdraw what a senior has done. As such the notice of alleged withdrawal signed by assistant municipal commissioner is improper, unauthorized and not in consonance with the provisions of law.

St. Peter’s Church had not received till Saturday afternoon,” said Mr D’Souza. Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas, the parish priest of St. Peter’s Church, confirmed that neither had he been handed the notice nor was it stuck on the walls of the cemetery till Saturday evening, as had been done in the case of the earlier notice.

Ms Shelar chose not to comment on this development to FPJ.  “No comment! I’m with the community & will be! Supporting their demand & will do my best to achieve!” he said in an SMS reply to a question by The Free Press Journal.

Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal too, has not if d not responded to the newspaper. Queries as to why the church did not receive the notice while local politicians had it and how a junior officer can stay what a senior has done remain unanswered.

Related:

Bandra cemetery takeover by BMC: Bombay Catholic Sabha rebuts Shelar claims

Not an inch of our cemetery land, Mumbai Christians protest BMC demolition notice

Graves desecrated in Mumbai’s Mahim church, FIR filed

The post We Demand unconditional withdrawal of the unjust BMC notice to acquire St. Peter’s Sea Side Cemetery. appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Mumbai’s much debated Coastal Road Project that aims to connect Marine Drive to Worli could get longer from the currently proposed 9.98 kilometers to 10.58 kilometers. The project that has been under the scanner for its impact on marine ecology and livelihood of local fisherfolk, will now also require reclamation of an additional 21 hectares.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) held a meeting with the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) and informed them that the proposed changes were due to considerations of curvature and minor differences in ramp positions reported Indian Express. “The modifications in the alignment and design of the MCRP-South (Mumbai Coastal Road Project) will not lead to any additional impacts on the environment,” claimed the BMC’s application.

The BMC reportedly listed 28 points for amendment in the CRZ clearance the project received in 2017. Of the 28, 24 proposed amendments are new and not part of the clearance application in 2017. However, IE reports that BMC clarified that only 6.51 hectare will be additionally reclaimed, as the remaining 14.49 hectare required is for the sea wall, which was already a part of the project but “not detailed” or mentioned in the 2017 application seeking CRZ clearance.

The project cost estimates have been steadily escalating since the idea was originally floated. At present they are said to be more than Rs 12,000 crores!

Coastal Road and the Courts

It is noteworthy that on April 23, 2019 the Bombay High Court ordered that all reclamation work for Mumbai’s coastal road be paused and that the status quo be maintained until June 3. The bench was hearing public interest litigations filed by Society for Improvement, Greenery and Nature, an NGO, and activist Shweta Wagh. The Independent People’s Tribunal (IPT) on Mumbai’s Coast Road had previously released an exhaustive report regarding the project and its many, many pitfalls and potential adverse effects. The report paints a grim picture of a project that has no clear purpose, will serve only a small fraction of an increasingly crowded city, and could have disastrous effects on Mumbai’s ecology and coastline. 

Subsequently, the Bombay High court set aside the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the much-hyped Coastal Road project. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice NM Jamdar was hearing a batch of petitions filed in response to the CRZ clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in May 2017. Petitioners objected to the construction of a proposed 10 kilometer long stretch from Marine Drive to Bandra, stating that it would cause damage to the coastline as well as marine life in the region. It is noteworthy that BMC’s Wednesday meeting was in regard to the same stretch.  

It is also noteworthy that last year on July 22, the Bombay High court set aside the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the wider project that aims to connect Marine Drive in South Mumbai to the northern suburb of Kandivali. Then in a huge shot in the arm for Mumbai’s fisher-folk, residents of coastal neighbourhoods and environmental conservation organisations, the Supreme Court refused to strike down the July 22, 2019, order passed by the Bombay High Court that makes environmental clearance mandatory for the ambitious Mumbai Coastal Road Project.

What happens now?

Given how changes have been proposed in many aspects of the project, activists feel that the BMC should submit a fresh proposal and seek consultation as is mandated by law whenever developmental projects need to be undertaken in regions where the lives and livelihood of people are likely to be impacted adversely. Activist Shweta Wagh, one of the petitioners against the project, told IE, “The sea wall was not part of the original plan for which CRZ clearance was granted. This additional work amounts to a change in the project profile. So, the BMC should make a fresh application for clearance.”

Activists also took to Twitter to express their disappointment and educate their fellow Mumbaikars about the adverse impacts of the project:

Save #Mumbai
90 hectares of sea being reclaimed for #coastalroad that will serve just 2% of elite car owners,will increase the risk of flooding.
Corals &340 other marine species threatened due to the Coastal road project.#SaveOurCoast @moefcc @GretaThunberg @parents4future pic.twitter.com/dmvfN6GLRz

— #SaveMumbaiforest (@SaveMumbaifore1) October 28, 2020

Entire marine Coral Reefs/spices destroyed on Intertidal rocky shores of Neapen sea road, Mahalaxmi, Haji Ali & Worli for Coastal Road is on the cost of Destroying our livelihood entirely dependent on Biodiversity @AUThackerayhttps://t.co/cyt8k80dJS

— VanchitMacchimaar HajiAliSahakariSanghatanMaryadit (@VanchitMacchim1) October 28, 2020

Related:

Bombay High Court stays work on Mumbai’s coastal road
Bombay HC hits the brakes on Coastal Road project, quashes CRZ clearance
SC refuses to stay Bombay HC judgment on Coastal Road

The post Mumbai’s Coastal Road could get longer appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Wednesday, April 29, marked the first death of a municipal staff member due to Covid-19 in Mumbai. The deceased, 49-year-old Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official  Madhukar Hariyan was taking care of food distribution to homeless and migrant workers in the Dharavi area, reported The Indian Express.

Hariyan was a resident of Borivali and an inspector in the Assessment Department of G-North Ward (Dharavi, Dadar, Shivaji Park) and had been working for the BMC for more than 15 years. He did not have any co-morbidity said a civic official. According to BMC officials, Hariyan developed fever on April 22 and had not been coming to office since then.  

Our very own, Shri Madhukar Haryan (Inspector, Assessment Dept, BMC) passed away today. He had devoted himself in the service of Mumbaikars & the needy.

May his soul rest in peace. Our thoughts & prayers are with the Haryan family.

He tested COVID +ve

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) April 29, 2020

“Initially, he went to a private doctor in Borivali. However, his condition started deteriorating. Since he had Covid-19 like symptoms, he was tested on Monday and the results came positive after two days. On Wednesday, when municipal staff were taking him to Kasturba Hospital for treatment, he died on the way,” an official said.

His death and another municipal staff testing positive has set off panic in the department. Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has said the civic body will conduct the medical check-up of all staff involved in the food distribution process. A report from The Times of India says that seven staffers from BMC’s G-North Ward office have tested positive for the coronavirus, including a few civic engineers and staffers from the water department.

30 staff members of G-North who were in contact with Hariyan, have been tested for Covid-19 and asked to quarantine at home for 14 days, pending test results. “Since none of them has symptoms, we have told them to stay at home,” Assistant Municipal Commissioner, G-North Ward, Kiran Dighavkar said. Samples of Hariyan’s mother, wife and two daughters have also been taken.

Pednekar said that the demand for food too is expected to come down as different states make arrangements for the return of migrant labour and seeing this the BMC may also stop distribution of food. Currently, the BMC is has been distributing about 6 lakh food packets to labourers and homeless across the city daily. It has been collecting food from 44 community kitchens and distributing it to almost 700 spots in the city with the help of 800 staffers of the Planning Department.

In a video Pednekar said, “After this, corporators can make arrangement for food distribution in (their) respective wards. Also, grains, instead of food packets, will be considered.”

Dharavi, a red zone, is one of the most challenging Covid-19 hotspots of the city. With a population density of 35,000 per sq km and more than 8 lakh people, Dharavi remains a challenge for the BMC. On Wednesday, 14 new cases were reported from the slum area, taking the total cases there to 344. It has seen 18 deaths of people with coronavirus.

Allegations of negligence

Those at the frontline in the BMC allege that very little has been done by the government to ensure their safety. Ramakant Bane, general secretary of the union said, “Hariyan lost his life due to the BMC’s negligence. We had demanded medical check-up of all the municipal staff part of food distribution as they did not have safety gear and directly came in contact with many people. Now, after Hariyan’s death, the BMC has promised to conduct check-up of all staff and give them basic protective equipment.”

After Hariyan’s death, Dr Sangita Hasnale, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, Planning Department, and in charge of food distribution, on Thursday issued a circular saying all the staff would be checked for symptoms.

Related:

Migrant labourers want to go home, but what kind of life awaits them?

Maharashtra and Gujarat make up for 60 percent of all deaths in the country

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Seeing the rapid increase of positive Covid-19 cases in Mumbai, the city became the first to order that hereon it would be compulsory to wear masks in public places. On Wednesday, a notification issued by Praveen Pardeshi, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Praveen Pardeshi, read, “All person moving for whatever purpose and under whatever reason in public place, like street, hospital, office, markets, must be wearing a 3 play mask or cloth mask compulsorily.”

#OfficialUpdateMumbai

1️⃣Wearing of mask in public & work places now compulsory

2️⃣Masks are also to be worn while traveling

3️⃣These may be standard masks available at the chemist or homemade washable ones

4️⃣Action will be taken against offenders u/s 188 of IPC#NaToCorona https://t.co/sdRhniJgPU pic.twitter.com/m5p5Jab0oQ

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) April 8, 2020

People moving around in their personal offices and official vehicles and others travelling in traffic vehicles, working at any site / office / workplace are also required to wear these masks at all times.

The notification also says that no person or officer is to attend any meeting / gathering without these masks. The masks that the BMC recommends can be the 3 ply masks found at the chemist and if those aren’t available, even home-made washable masks can be made and used after proper washing and disinfection.

The letter has also issued instructions for those who violate these orders. People found breaching the order will be booked under Section 188 of the IPC and strictly penalized, apart from being liable to arrest.

The city saw 72 fresh coronavirus cases on Wednesday. The total count of Covid-19 positive cases now stands at 714, with 45 people having passed away due to the infection.

Apart from Mumbai, Pune too has made it mandatory to wear face masks in public, reported The Indian Express. Currently, there are 197 positive coronavirus cases reported in Pune. The order was issued by the Joint Commissioner of Pune Police Ravindra Shisve and it read, “The number of people who have contracted coronavirus is increasing day by day. As per directives of the World Health Organization, the disease can spread at a very rapid rate. To prevent this, there are several prohibitory orders in force in the city including curfew in some areas. To stop further spread, experts have advised continuous use of masks, hand gloves and sanitizers.”

The order further read, “We are now making use of masks mandatory in all places in jurisdiction of Pune City Police. The masks should be of standard quality or home-made which have been property sanitized. Those in violation of the order will be liable to prosecution under Indian Penal Code section 188 and Provisions of Epidemic Diseases Act.”

#FightAgainstCoronavirus #PuneFightsCorona #SanitationWarriors #Awarenessofcoronavirus @collectorpune1 @RajSarag @PMCPune@PuneZp @gsfunde1985 @suhassatwadhar @CPPuneCity @PuneCityPolice pic.twitter.com/7LYFjJCPcG

— DISTRICT INFORMATION OFFICE, PUNE (@Info_Pune) April 8, 2020

Wearing masks in public has also been mandatory by the Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Chandigarh and Odisha governments.

Currently, the government has sealed 20 hotspots in Delhi and even the Uttar Pradesh government has sealed 22 hotspots in 15 districts.

While a lot has been said about the efficacy of masks and that they should only be worn by three groups – people who are afflicted by the virus, caregivers and healthcare workers, medical experts all over the world have come forward to suggest that wearing masks is emerging as a good precautionary measure for the general public from contracting the virus.

The New Yorker spoke to stem-cell biologist and the author of “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer” and “The Gene: An Intimate History” in this regard. Mentioning that he thinks everyone should be wearing a mask, he said, “There are the expensive and highly efficient N95 respirators. Doctors have to get fitted for them. They are hard to get. Not everyone should be wearing those, and no one should be hoarding those. Those should be reserved for medical personnel. But then there is a simpler, so-called surgical mask, which is just a filter across your face, which prevents you from secreting respiratory droplets, and prevents others from getting respiratory droplets from you. These are cheap. In the hospital, we used to just use one and throw it away. But under these circumstances, we need a good decontamination protocol. So if you are talking about the simpler ones, then yes. Everyone should be wearing them, because the risk is low, and the return may be high.”

He also told the magazine that there is a vast amount of evidence that viruses that are secreted through respiratory secretions and cough droplets, including influenza and SARS, are decreased in their exposure when people wear masks. So, under conditions when the infections are spreading fast, the evidence suggests that mask wearing really decreases the chance of infecting others and getting infected yourself.

Related:

Covid Confusion: Do masks really protect you from the Covid-19 pandemic?

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Dharavi in Mumbai is emerging to be a problem area for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after it was found that out of the fresh 116 Covid-19 cases reported on Tuesday, two were from the densely populated urban slum.

A BMC release said that the current cases of coronavirus now stand at 642, with 40 deaths. The two fresh cases from Dharavi take the count there to nine. Two men, one 25 and the other 35, tested positive.

Dharavi, the 2.16 sq. km slum, houses almost 15 lakh people, many of them migrant and daily-wage labourers who live in small shanties making it one of the most densely populated areas on earth.

Currently, around 3,000 people from the locality have been quarantined. Speaking to Economic Times officials said that while people are scared of the virus, they are more scared of losing their jobs and being taken to quarantine centers.

People there are scared that with the rise in cases, most of them asymptomatic, coupled with the living conditions, they may already be afflicted with the virus. Vinod Shetty, director at the non-profit Acorn Foundation told Bloomberg, “We are talking about a slum where 10-12 people live in 10×10 feet in hutments. You can’t expect them to stay home all day long. They pay Rs. 25 for a gallon of water, you’ll tell them to wash their hands frequently. Eighty people share a public toilet, you’ll tell them to not leave their house. How is that possible?”

“In Dharavi, it’s very difficult to get the facts right. A lot of times residents are not telling us the truth about their travel history or where they have been out of fear. They fear they will be nabbed and punished for not following lockdown rules,” a Bloomberg report said quoting government official Kiran Dighavkar.

The first case in Dharavi was a 56-year-old man there who was feeling feverish and had a bad cough and went to see the doctor on March 23, reported Jagran Josh. It came to light that he had hosted five people from the Tablighi Jamaat. His condition worsened and he passed away on April 1.

After him, a 52-year-old BMC sanitation worker tested positive and a 35-year-old doctor working with patients there was the third case. A 48-year-old man from the Shakti Chawl in Mukund Nagar area was the fourth to test COVID-19. The fifth case was of a 30-year-old woman who tested positive from the area where the first death was reported. The sixth and seventh cases are the father and brother of the 30-year-old woman.

Social distancing in this cramped area is an impossibility. People use public toilets and there are no basic water and food facilities. Also, the hygiene conditions and garbage dumping facilities make it one of the biggest breeding grounds for the virus.

Dharavi is now a containment zone and most of the people in the area have been quarantined. The BMC is working to provide daily essentials to the residents at their doorstep. The sanitation workers are sanitizing every lane and screening clinics too have been set up in the area where everyone will be screened between 9 AM to 1 PM to check for the spread of the virus there.

Positive coronavirus cases in Maharashtra have shot up to 1078 on Wednesday. Mumbai recorded the highest increased with 44 new cases taking the tally in the city up to 686.

Seeing the jump of cases in low-income neighbourhoods like Worli Koliwada and a chawl in Prabhadevi which are now red zones that have been completely sealed off, the socio-economic conditions of Dharavi too exist like a ticking bomb that needs to be defused with apt measures as soon as possible.

Related:

Covid-19: Worli-Koliwada sealed, residents struggle for essentials
Affluent flyers bring Covid-19 to India, but mainly chawls and slums sealed off

The post Dharavi a ticking bomb after two fresh cases take positive Covid-19 cases up to 9? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The women of Mumbai Bagh who have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) for fifteen days now, have met the Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi and agreed to cooperate for the Morland Road construction work. The Satyagraha by the women is set to continue during this time.

A delegation of 13 people, including local representatives Zahida Shaikh, Umme Muhammad, Meher Ansari, Maryam Tinwala, Farid Khan, Waqar Ahmad, corporators Kaptan Malik, activist Feroze Mithiborewala, media professional Binjal Shah and social activist Guddi met to ensure their co-operation to resume construction at the Morland Road which is the site of the sit-in protest.

On February 7, 2020, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Alka Sasane had filed a complaint against the Mumbai Bagh protestors in which the police had registered 300 unnamed FIRs. She had alleged that the construction work on the road was getting stalled due to the protest.

https://twitter.com/AdvFerozAnsari/status/1226822281147478017

Copy of FIR lodged at Nagpada Police Station on #MumbaiBagh pic.twitter.com/wPFhOvQQVa

— Feroz Ansari (@AdvFerozAnsari) February 10, 2020

“The construction work at Morland Road only began three month ago, and was being carried out sporadically. It was not a motorable road, and access for vehicles as well as two-wheelers had already been largely restricted,” states Meher Ansari, a long-time local resident of Madanpura, who frequents this road on her way to work.

However, according to the FIR, the indefinite protest has led to the stalling of construction work, and is causing an obstruction to traffic, amongst other things. “Chief Engineer for roads and traffic Sanjay Darade will now contact me to discuss how construction work – which mainly constitutes the renovation of the sidewalk – can be resumed,” states NCP Corporator Kaptan Malik, who was also part of the delegation.

In that matter, Pardeshi has assured that he would speak to Mumbai police Commissioner Sanjay Barve to have the FIRs revoked.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has plans to finish the construction work before the monsoon sets in. In this regard, the members of Mumbai Bagh have not only extended their cooperation, but have also offered shramdaan to facilitate the construction.

In light of the violence of the Delhi police on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University, the members of Mumbai Bagh have scheduled a candlelight vigil to express their solidarity with the students and condemn the actions of the Delhi Police.

https://twitter.com/NrcProtest/status/1226841283794128896

Candlelight vigil at #MumbaiBagh tonight against police violence in Delhi.#Jamia pic.twitter.com/d7AxbPNH90

— CAA / NRC Protest Info. (@NrcProtest) February 10, 2020

Related:

Jamia students allegedly attacked by police, again!
SC: Amendment to SC/ST Act constitutionally valid
Ticket prices to go up as Hyundai, Tata, Adani line up to run private trains

The post Mumbai Bagh meets BMC Commissioner, offers shramdaan for road work appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Rais Shaikh, a Samajwadi corporator, has raised concerns over the inadequate staffing at municipal offices to help process documents of people panicking over National Register of Citizens (NRC), National Population Register (NPR) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He says people have been thronging municipal offices to either get their birth certificates or have corrections made in their documents.

According to Indian Express, he raised this concern at the Standing Committee meeting on Thursday saying, “For obtaining a birth certificate people have to wait for months… for simple corrections in names they made to run from pillar to post. The BMC should make a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on how to get a certificate or how to make corrections in names. The shortage of staff in civic wards’ health department should also be first. At least, the civic body should issue a seven-day deadline to issue documents.”

NCP group leader Rakhi Jadhav and Congrees corporator from Bandra Asif Zakeria also corroborated Shaikh’s claims about NRC related panic among people, chief being absence of key documents or minor corrections required in them,

This fear emanates from the plight of people in Assam who were declared foreigner and thrown in detention camps due to minor discrepancies in the spelling of their names or other data in their documents. CJP has worked closely with many such people and helped to bring to light their plight. Saken Ali was forced to spend five years in a detention camp because of a minor discrepancy in how his name was spelt in two different documents. A pregnant Rashminara Begum was dragged away to a detention camp because of another such discrepancy in her date of birth. Even the family of the first Deputy Speaker of Assam’s Legislative Assembly was not spared… they were dubbed ‘foreigners’!

But now that the specter of a nationwide exercise along the lines of Assam’s NRC appears likely, people across India, even in an urban metropolis like Mumbai are beginning to fear for their freedom and future.

Related:

CJP in Action: Volunteer Motivators and Public Campaigns in Assam
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Assam man forced to prove Indian citizenship four times
Children of Deceased DF couple struggle to prove Citizenship in Assam

The post Is NRC related panic overwhelming the BMC? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image Courtesy: DNA

Dear Folks, just when we thought our beloved BEST was resuscitated and brought back from the clutches of death; the recent statement by the BMC Chief has almost taken its breath away – and not in a good way.

BMC Chief Praveen Pardeshi recently said that the BEST, the lifeline of Aamchi Mumbai will only operate on feeder routes, i.e. mostly just ply to railway, Metro and Mono stations in the future. At the launch of the city’s first AC mini-buses at Colaba on September 16, he said, “The red buses should ply on bare minimum long-distance routes where Metro does not operate.”

In the recent past, the BMC really outdid themselves by giving the BEST a push towards success – they announced a drastic reduction in the bus fares, majorly expanded the bus fleet, decided to fund the BMC to bring it out of its losses, implemented dedicated bus lanes and imposed heavy fines for parking private vehicles on major routes (we know you all shared memes about this).

This move by the civic authorities did not materialize in a vacuum. A robust and creative citizens support movement, a nine day protest strike, brought the authorities to their knees, so to speak.

But the announcement of reducing the BEST to a feeder service has shocked us. Let us tell you why.
 

1. AAMCHI BEST is the cheapest mode of transport there is for the AAM AADMI. Shuttling only on long routes in the future will deny the lower income sections of the society of the option of traveling by bus. How will they travel?
2. Yes, we know, EK SE BHALE DO. But not in this matter. It takes time, effort and money to change modes of transport – from bus to rail and back to bus again. Isn’t it just way more sensible for commuters to stick to one mode of transport (buses) for certain distances and routes?
3. BEST has always emerged to be India’s transport Superhero – come rain or shine. Let us just not get into what happens to the railway network when it pours. How then can the BMC take away this great service away from the people?
4. Unlike the railways, the BEST services are flexible and can be expanded according to shifting demand, almost cost-free. Isn’t it better then, to institute dedicated lanes for buses – even on roads where the Metro operates and the let the commuters which works better for them in terms of cost and convenience?
5. The government is already building a coastal road, open to only private vehicles, where no buses will be plying. Why are we robbing the city of public transport and aiding pollution when the whole world is shifting towards doing the opposite?
6. Won’t this step force the aam junta to shell out more from their pockets forcibly? Isn’t the BMC secretly aiding crony capitalism by doing this?
7. If the buses go, the bus depots will go too. The bus depots which sit on a huge chunk of land will be sold. To whom? No prizes for guessing!

Worldwide, the public transport system is gaining popularity. Countries in Europe have made bus transport free of cost. Not only this, they have the lowest carbon footprint per passenger than any other form of motorized transport.

We at Sabrang India, appeal to the people to ask the BMC Commissioner to take back his statement. The BEST is the lifeblood of the city and it is our duty to save it.
 
Related Articles:

1. BMC announces 100 crore monthly aid for BEST buses on conditions of Wet-leasing
2. Government and automobile lobby are in a cosy affair while public transport is treated like filth
3. Striking Workers of Mumbai’s Red BEST Bus face threat of losing Jobs: BMC

The post BUS KARO, BMC! Chief Pardeshi says BEST will only be a feeder service in the future appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image Courtesy: PTI

The battle to preserve the last green cover, popularly known as the “lungs” of Mumbai city has become uglier with the targeting of Save Aarey activists on social media. Several suspicious looking handles published residential addresses of activists involved in the struggle on twitter. This was a barely veiled attempt at intimidation. 

Aarey protests picked up spontaneously when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Tree Authority gave its approval on felling around 2,700 trees in what experts say is a forested area. People from all over the city came together for peaceful protests.

However, the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has maintained the stand that Aarey isn’t a forest and MMRCL ran full-page ads in as many as 16 newspapers titled ‘The truth you should know’.

Several petitions were filed by activists challenging the order permitting the tree authority to cut trees.

Key Contentions
One petition by activist Zoru Bhathena asserts that the destruction of the critical floodplain will worsen floods in Mumbai. Bhathena says, “Mithi river has thrice overflowed, causing widespread destruction” as he recalls the July 2005 deluge- one of the three incidents.

Bhathena’s contention is that despite several steps recommended by the authorities “to prevent flooding, the situation has only deteriorated year after year because the authorities have been negligent in protecting Mithi from further destruction”.

Bhathena earlier filed a petition against the BMC Tree Authority’s nod to the cutting of trees at Aarey for the car shed.

The Maharashtra State water Policy was notified on September 5, 2019 wherein economic activity or construction is prohibited on floodplains. Bhathena’s latest PIL states that despite being aware of the dangers of downstream flooding, BMC in June 6, 2018 allowed Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) to “tamper” with a natural stormwater course on the condition that in future, if MMRC fails to control floods in the vicinity, BMC will not be responsible. The PIL added, “This unique permission letter whereby BMC has washed its hands off the issue was attached to the tree removal permission proposal for the plot.” Bhathena has referred to two reports, including a 2018 one by experts appointed by Supreme Court that warn about the perils of downstream flooding if the floodplain of the Mithi is filled up.

Another line of argument asserts the fact also that the state’s claim that Aarey is not a forest is erroneous. In the ongoing hearings in the Bombay High Court, a PIL has also been filed to declare Aarey a forest. 

Activists believe that a ‘survey’ to determine the area’s ‘forest status’ was conducted through a view form a hillock in 1997 and was not completed due to insufficient maps and inaccessibility during the monsoon.

Senior Counsel Gayatri Singh even argued that “no earnest effort was made by Maharashtra government to physically survey the city and identify its forests. Singh is appearing on behalf of the NGO Vanshakti, and she cited a letter by the District Collector (Mumbai Suburban) to the Principal Secretary to the Revenue Department in 1997.

On this, Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog commented, “If a country cant survey itself for 20 years then what can I say.” The court further noted that dictionary meanings are being used as a ‘forest’ is not defined udner the Indian Forest Act. 1927 or Forest Conservation Act 1980.

A third contention of the petitoners is also that the area required for Metro shed is 41 hectares and that the state is already in possession of close to 1668 hectares land in Kanjurmarg and only 242 hectares is under litigation. On this too, the CJ asked, “ So the maximum you can lose is 242 hectares, right?”

In the ongoing hearings, renowned Botanist Dr. Rajendra Shinde highlighted that of the list of 80 species of trees in the forest, 30 are ingenious and typical forest species. He also said that it wasn’t just about trees, as every tree with all the organisms on it, is an ecosystem in itself.

Aarey has been a ‘No Development Zone’ till 2018, but the status was reversed by the Maharashtra government. In the same year a petition challenging this decision was filed in the Bombay High Court. The Court held that while Maharashtra government has the right to change the use of public land, it is still bound to meet conditions to ensure the safety of the environment. For example, the government is expected to institute committees to look into the impact on flora and fauna, as well as groundwater, etc.

As the hearing was going on a Bombay HC judge made a passing remark that Aarey is not a forest. This activists claim, the government took this remark  completely “out of context” to justify its proposal in the area.

Massive felling of trees in Aarey
An order passed by the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in New Delhi had cleared the “decks for the construction of a car depot for Metro III project in Aarey,” The Wire reported. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) expedited the felling of trees in the Aarey region following this order. In September 2018, in a matter of two days, the MMRCL felled more than 200 trees. In fact, it claimed that it had permission to clear 2,700 trees in the region.

Four years after a city based NGO, Vanshakti, approached the NGT protesting against the Metro shed/depot for the 33km line between South and North Mumbai, the petition was disposed off. Reportedly, the NGT had asked the petitioner to approach the High Court or the Supreme Court, saying that it did not have the jurisdiction to decide whether Aarey is a forest.

However, the Bombay High Court (HC) passed an order on October 24, 2018 preventing the Tree Authority (TA) from granting permission for the felling of trees in the city. The Court observed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner may grant permission in some urgent cases where the trees pose a danger to property or life. However, it said that panels of experts must be constituted as laid down by the law. The petition in the case was filed by Zoru Bathena, an activist who sought to restrain the authority from adjudicating applications seeking permission to cut trees.

This massive tree felling is dangerous, because it interferes with the delicate natural balance between the forests and the atmosphere.

Studies show that tropical forests contribute to regulating river flows, regulating both dry seasons and high rainfall events, and hence minimise risks associated with water scarcity and floods. Trees in the process of growing take water from the soil and release it into the atmosphere. They also act as interceptors, catching falling rain that eventually evaporates and results in rain precipitation elsewhere.

About the Metro III project

The Metro III project is going to cost around Rs. 23,316 crore, and the depot is planned to be built on 34 hectares of land. Despite activists’ claims of alternate land being available, the authorities have gone ahead with felling trees. In a petition filed in 2018, Preeti Menon of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had alleged that this is illegal, “since the purpose of entering Aarey or extending the Metro 3 line up to Aarey is to create a Metro Station and Car Shed inside it.”

Moreover, not only are the Aarey forests the only green cover Mumbai has, but they are also home to Adivasis, mainly Warlis, who have been living in the area for generations, building slums and cowsheds that supply milk to a government-run dairy situated in the middle of forest. D. Stalin of Vanshakti, which is active in the area, had argued that Aarey is actually a forest and therefore cannot be touched.

Each time the tree authorities grant permission to cut trees, the order has to be put up on the BMC’s website in order to invite opposition and suggestions.

Constantly in survival mode
The Aarey forest dwellers have had to wage several struggles simply to assert their existence on the land. One of the earlier protests that firebrand leader Prakash Bhoir remembers is one in 1982. In June 2017, around 1,000 Adivasis gathered in the Aarey Milk Colony to protest against the proposal of a zoo, an extension of Byculla Zoo, and the state government’s plan to demolish the existing tribal houses and transform them into a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) building.

In June 2017, Prakash Bhoir, the leader of Shramik Adivasi Sangathana, when speaking to The Afternoon Dispatch & Courier, said, “Every now and then, they are coming with infrastructure and recreation projects,” and alleged that the authorities were continuously cutting the forest trees for development projects.

Around 27 Adivasis settlements are spread across Aarey. The Adivasis in 2017 alleged that more than 60 hutments near Navshad Pada lack electricity and water supply.

The civic authorities come down to the settlements without any prior notice. The Adivasis who are the native residents of the area have revealed that they have even been paying taxes at the rate of Rs. 1 per guntha (1/40^th of an acre) of land. At the time of the protest against the zoo, they even questioned where they would rehabilitate their cattle, and what would become of their farms. 

Per the Adivasis in the region, earlier, a major area of the green cover was already lost to an NSG training centre, Film City, and housing complexes. The Adivasis have been living in the area since before the dairy was set up in 1951.

As of today, there is a need for an urgent intervention by environment also human rights groups in order to protect the rights of Warli Adivasis who stand to be displaced and are at risk of losing their livelihood because of the Metro project.

In December 2018, there was also a mysterious fire in the Aarey forest that CJP had investigated and found the cause of fire as seemingly deliberate.
 

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