Wooing voters in city’s toxic chamber

MHADA TO GIVE 300 FREE HOUSES TO MAHUL RESIDENTS

The state’s ruling political parties Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are devising new ways to attract the voters towards its fold ahead of the forthcoming general election.

The latest in a list of sops is providing alternative accommodation to the residents of Mahul, which is close to a toxic chamber. The area is a living-hell, as the the authorities has so far turned a blind eye to the problems of the residents.

In a latest development, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) on Monday announced it would provide at least 300 temporary transit units to the most-affected families. Moreover, the list of the so-called ‘most-affected’ families will be provided by activists of ‘Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao’ Andolan.

The activists, who have been fighting for better living conditions for more than two years, had pointed out to the government that several residents of the 5,000-odd families living here, have respiratory disorders. The issue was reported widely in media, highlighting the pathetic conditions. Now, with the election round the corner, the authorities seemed to have finally taken cognisance.

In a meeting at the mayor’s bungalow on Monday, being attended by the Shiv Sena legislator and MHADA chairman, Uday Samant, the Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board and the BMC officials, it was discussed why the BMC was not signing any rent agreement, even though the MHADA was ready with the proposal. It is the old proposal, according to which, the BMC had to sign a rent agreement with the MHADA to provide transit houses to the residents who would be paid a rent.

“In the meeting, the BMC officials raised an objection saying, if they paid a rent for 300 transit houses, they would have to follow suit for the remaining tenants, which may not be feasible. Further, apart from the MHADA’s proposal none of the other authorities – the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the urban development dept—replied on giving transit houses to the Mahul residents,” said a MHADA official.

Another grouse of the MHADA officials against the BMC is they are unable to take any concrete steps in solving the Mahul problem. Hence, the MHADA advised the BMC to provide houses to the most-affected families for free, thereby doing away with the rental agreement. “Now, the BMC is expected to provide an approval letter,” said the official.

The residents have been rehabilitated under the ProjectAffected People (PAPs) who had lost original homes in various projects—road and nullah widening, Tansa cycle track and other projects.

Last year, the residents had protested at Azad Maidan. At the time, the social activist, Medha Patkar, had taken residents to meet the CM Fadnavis to provide them with houses in Kurla, for the houses constructed for slumdwellers, near Mumbai airport. There are 12,000 ready houses at Kurla, which are currently unoccupied and the Mahul residents had demanded they be rehabilitated there. Taking stock of the rising demand, the state government and MHADA have for the time being addressed the issue temporarily.