Demolition drive issue rocks civic meeting

The standing committee meeting of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was adjourned on Wednesday over civic administration’s action against residents near Tansa pipeline. Members demanded that the administration first provide alternative arrangement before evicting them.

Shiv Sena corporator Mangesh Satamkar moved the adjournment motion which was supported by members across parties. Satamkar said that the civic administration has been evicting poor people on war footing without giving proper alternative. “BMC has been rehabilitating them in Mahul in Chembur where basic facilities are not available,” said Satamkar. He added that there is no school or hospital in the area. “Does the BMC think that poor people do not need education of medical facilities,” said Satamkar.

The BMC administration has been clearing encroachments across the city, especially along the Tansa pipeline following a Bombay High Court order. As per the court order, the civic body has to remove all encroachments along the 39 km-long Tansa pipeline and construct a wall 10 metres away from both side of the pipeline to protect the it. The civic administration claims that it has been following the court order and it has no option but to clear the encroachments.

Ravi Raja, a Congress corporator and leader of opposition in the House, accused the civic administration of being inhumane.