URGENT PRESS STATEMENT. AGITATION FOR JUSTICE ON THE PEREIRA WADI DEMOLITION INTENSIFIES

THE BOMBAY CATHOLIC SABHA

050608

URGENT PRESS STATEMENT

Re: Pereira Wadi agitation intensified. Today, June 5, 2008. at 11.00 over 1000 people marched in protest to Member of Parliament, Ms Priya Dutt’s Residence at Bandra and submitted a memorandum. Ms Priya Dutt has assured of her help to redress the grievances of the affected people.

As a follow-up to the agitation, a prayer meeting has been convened on June 08 at 5.30 p.m at Pereira Wadi. We expect thousands to participate.

Today, June 5, 2008, in the scorching heat at 11.00 a.m. over a thousand people including residents whose homes have been demolished marched to the residence of the local Member of Parliament , Ms Priya Dutt.

Ms Priya Dutt is currently out of the country and the memorandum, a copy of which is given below was submitted to her personal assistant. Mr. Dolphy D’souza, President of The Bombay Catholic Sabha spoke with Ms Priya Dutt over the phone and explained to her the distress the residents were going through because of the unwarranted and uncalled for demolition of their homes. Ms Dutt has assured that she will speak to the concerned authorities and provide all help to sort this issue out.

In the meantime, we had also filed requests with the Chief Minister’s , Deputy Chief Minister and Smt Sonia Gandhi’s offices on June 03 to intervene and help the distressed residents including old women, senior citizens and children who are suddenly are on the roads without a roof on their heads that too when the monsoon is just round the corner.

We are also sad to inform you that the personal belongings of the eleven homes which were demolished have been carted away to an undisclosed location. Amongst the belongings are expensive electronic items and documents of value and no one is a position to advise where they have been dumped.

Are we in a democratic state or dictatorship has taken root is a question we are asking .

Amongst the other organizations that participated were, St John Save Church Committee, Sahar Citizen’s Forum, H/ West Citizen's Federation , Bombay East Association. and several others

We deeply appreciate the support of the media in bringing this bullying tactics to the public.

We urge the media to speak and support these poor residents as all the powers that be have conspired to make them homeless.

Best Regards,
Vinod Noronha
Secretary General
THE BOMBAY CATHOLIC SABHA
Mumbai-400 016
Tel: 24463853 / 9820226227

04/06/08
Ms Priya Dutt
Member of Parliament
Bandra.

Dear Ms Dutt,

Memorandum: Seek your intervention and justice to the Residents of Pereirawadi whose homes have been demolished and thrown out of their houses.

We understand that you are currently out of the country and expected to return back by June 09. We would request you to give us a personal appointment to discuss this grave issue.

The Bombay Catholic Sabha [BCS] is pained at the gross human rights violations of the residents of Pereira Wadi at Bandra, a colony which is 125 years old and the residents living there through generations.

It is alleged by the residents that the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme [SRA] promoted in this area does not have the mandatory70 percent consent of the residents and many of the signatories to the scheme are either dead or do not reside in this area or are forged.

A petition by the concerned residents challenging this mispresentation of facts by the Developer and urging for a thorough enquiry before the said SRA Scheme could be approved was filed on April 22, 2008 with the High Court appointed, Grievance Committee, Mumbai [ Application no 113] and the said Committee is fully siezed of this matter. It may be stated that this Grievance Committee had been appointed after several irregularities in the SRA schemes were brought to the attention of the High Court. The prayers submitted in the petition were to ascertain and verify the signatures of the residents and also go into the forgery and bogus names submitted for acceptance under the SRA Scheme and other concerns like terrorising the residents etc.

Although this petition is pending, for reasons best known the Collectors office went ahead with the demolition of the homes in the most inhuman way without following any humanitarian norms. The homes first demolished

it is understood are of those who did not sign this SRA scheme. Their homes were demolished and their belongings just dumped in tempos which the builder had brought along.

There has been no rehabilitation or alternate accomodation provided which should be on an onsite basis. The rule is also clear that no demolitions can be undertaken during the onset of monsoon. There are elderly citizens and children who have no roof over their heads now.

. All these irregularities were also brought to the attention of the CEO of the SRA and the Suburban Collector.

Our demands are :

1. We demand an high level enquiry by the Chief Minister into the allegations by the Residents into the formation of this bogus society and verification of the genuiness of the names and the signatures in the Annexure list and their consent for this SRA Scheme.

2. All demolition should stop forthwith and restoration of their homes to be done by the authorities concerned responsible for this inhumanly act.

3 Maintain the status quo pending disposal of the petition resting with the High Court appointed Grievance Committee on this issue .

4. Withdraw the charges levied against the 11 young people who were detained by the Police under several false charges.

The State has to act as a laissez-faire state and see that the interests of the citizens are protected at all costs.

The Bombay Catholic Sabha and with its associates namely, the Sahar Citizens Forum, The Bombay East Indian Association, St John's Baptist Save Church Committee, H/West Citizens Federation and several others urge you to intervene in this issue so that justice is done to the affected residents



Best Regards,
Dolphy D'souza
President
THE BOMBAY CATHOLIC SABHA
St Michael's Annexe, Mahim,
Mumbai 400 016.
Tel: 24463853 / 9820226227