Residents, who claim they have been living there for more than a decade, alleged that the Mhada did not send them any notice, like they had two years ago when they had last razed structures there.
Ajit Yadav is worried that he might not be able to give his class 10 board exams as all documents and certificates are buried under a rubble. Lokesh Jain lost raw material worth Rs15 lakh at his electroplating shop. Prakash Gond, an electrician, lost all his work material and was even beaten by the police when trying to recover them.
These are among the thousands of slum dwellers of Prem Nagar, in the vicinity of Inorbit Mall and Hyper City in Goregaon (West), who became victims of a demolition drive on their “illegal” settlement on November 6. The residents, who claim they have been living there for more than a decade, alleged that the Mhada did not send them any notice, like they had two years ago when they had last razed structures there.
But an on-site Mhada official claimed: “There was no need to send a notice as they were all illegal slums.”According to the officer, the site is reserved for a low-cost Mhada building complex, and the flats will be sold through the lottery system.The residents also pointed fingers at the police.Nitin, 14, who refused to give his last name, claimed that the police called them to the chowky to demand money for protection. Behind him an unidentified woman said: “Police pehle bolti hai banao, baadme bolti hai todo (first the police says build homes, then later they tell us to break them).”
During the drive, the residents also claimed that the police told them that their shanties would be safe, but later they started beating them up when they tried to recover their belongings. Officer Arun Jadhav of the Goregaon police station, who most of the residents blamed for their misfortunes, refused to comment.
When asked if he knew who demanding “protection money” from the slum dwellers, he replied: “Just ask them only.”
The slum dwellers are also upset with their corporator Lochana Pawar, who has not bothered to visit them after the incident.Vinod Vishwakarma, a registered member of the Film Studio Setting Allied Mazdoor Union, said: “The last corporator had lost the polls because he did nothing after the last demolition drive. When seeking for votes, Pawar had claimed that she understood their woes and will help save their homes as she too is from the slums.”
Chavan, who is from the Shiv Sena, said in defence: “I have not been able to go to Prem Nagar as it is Diwali time and also my mother is unwell. Moreover, the demolition order came from the collector and there was nothing I could do.”
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