Blame game after death of infant
SIX-MONTH-OLD BABY DIES IN ONE OF THE SLUM HOMES, BUT RAILWAY AUTHORITIES DENY RESPONSIBILITY
Fresh confrontation erupts between Delhi and federal government after demolition at a slum cluster
Afresh confrontation between Delhi government and the Centre erupted yesterday after railway authorities demolished a slum cluster here to clear “encroachments” and a baby died there, evoking angry protests from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who wanted a murder case to be registered.
The demolition was carried out on Saturday at Shakur Basti in West Delhi and 1,200 slum units were removed. Rail officials insist the action was necessary to clear the “encroachments” for expanding the infrastructure.
The railways said the demolitions were carried out after three notices, the first one with the March 14, 2015 deadline.
A six-month-old baby died in one of the slum units, which the railways insisted occurred two hours before the demolitions started at 12pm.
Magistrates suspended
Police said prima facie the baby died after a heap of clothes fell on the child while his parents were preparing to move out of the jhuggi and hence no case had been opened.
Kejriwal, while slamming the railways, suspended two Sub-Divisional Magistrates and another senior official for “failing to arrange” food and shelter for those evicted.
As the controversy broke out, Delhi Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Arun Arora told a press conference here that the child’s death has no connection with the removal of encroachments, which had become a “risk” for train operations as the slums were within the 15-metre of safety zone.
He said the National Green Tribunal had also ordered that the tracks should be cleared of solid waste and to ensure this the railways had to “remove the source”.
Arora said the slum dwellers were given first notice for vacating the land by March 14, 2015. However, the demolition could not be undertaken then because police could not provide assistance then, Arora said.
Subsequently, two more notices were given to them — one with the deadline of September 30, 2015 and the last one with the deadline of December 12, 2015 (Saturday), he said.
“There is a need for constructing additional platforms, repairing yard, washing line, maintenance facility and office space for store and engineering division so that more long distance and local trains can be handled at the Shakur Basti station,” another railway official said.
Kejriwal, who visited the site late last night, slammed the railways for undertaking the demolition drive at a time when the temperatures had seen a sharp drop. He ordered officials to immediately provide blankets and food to those who were rendered homeless following the drive.
Talking to reporters, he said, “A child has died here. It is a very sad thing and I think that a murder case should be registered against the officers. Compensation will be taken from them. It should be deducted from the salaries of the officers who have conducted these raids.”
Earlier, in a series of tweets, Kejriwal said, “Railways have demolished 500 shanties in this extreme cold. One child has died. God will never forgive them. Had instructed the local SDM to arrange for food and shelter. They did not arrange the same, so have suspended them.”
The chief minister said he had spoken to Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu, who was not “aware of this operation. He was also shocked.”
He said “our Divisional Commisioner” told the SDMs and another official to arrange for the accommodation and food for those evicted. “After coming here, we found that there is no arrangement for either. The DM comes under us, so we are suspending the DM right away,” he said.
With regard to the child’s death, railways said it occurred at around 10am, two hours before the demolition drive began.
“It had nothing to do with removal of encroachments which started at around 1200 hours. When police, RPF and railway officials gathered at the site it was noticed that the death of a child had occurred in one of the jhuggies at around 10am,” railways said in a statement.
“The encroachment removal was started at 11.50am under police protection and completed by evening,” it added.
“After assessing the situation Ishwar Singh, SHO Punjabi Bagh, had given notice for clearance at 11.50 hrs. The joint note of police, RPF and railway officials at site indicate that removal was done peacefully. The removal was in the knowledge of DUSIB officials,” the statement said.