Slum dwellers should develop their own land where builder will not have any crucial role to play, says social activist Medha Patkar on Tuesday. More than 60% of slum dwellers are living in just 6-8% of the city land.
The vast working class, lower middle class and the informal sector workers live in unhygienic conditions without proper water, sewerage and basic services.
Patkar said that they will expose the nexus between the developers and politicians. “We have submitted the proposal to the former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to resolve the housing problem in city. We had asked government to construct maximum rental houses and dormitories. Not single slum dwellers should be displaced. All of them have right to stay with better facilities. It is government’s duty to provide houses,” she said.
She alleged that major chunk of city land has been given to developer on lease at nominal rates. “Government should take back that land and develop houses for the poor people,” said Patkar.
The land which the government has taken under the Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCRA) which immediately should be given to co-operative societies of vulnerable sections and lower middle class families.
Patkar said that the open spaces should be protected and not be given to rich people. “Government should improve the slums through participatory schemes which provides of basic infrastructure and services in the community.The nexus between the politician, bureaucrats and builder has resulted in criminal and land mafia which root is getting stronger and stronger day-by-day.”
