URGENT JOIN IN SOLIDARITY ON JUNE 05 AT 10.30 AM AT ST THERESA'S CHURCH BANDRA

Dear Sabhaites and Friends,

We need to rally around in solidarity.

We all meet at 10.30 am outside St Theresa's Church, Bandra and then proceeed to meet Ms Priya Dutt.

Details of the issue are provided below.

Re: The Bombay Catholic Sabha along with the Residents of Pereira Wadi to submit a Memorandum to Ms Priya Dutt, Member of Parliament

on June 05 at 11.00 a.m. concerning the demolition of the homes at seek her intervention for justice.

The Bombay Catholic Sabha along with the residents of Pereira Wadi will submit a memorandum to Ms Priya Dutt, Member of Parliament on June 05, at 11.00 a.m. and seek her intervention to bring solace to the suffering people of this area.

THE BOMBAY CATHOLIC SABHA CONDEMNS THE DEMOLITION IN BANDRA'S PEREIRAWADI ON JUNE 01 . THIS IS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OF A WORSE KIND.

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. Further on May 30, Mr Edwin Britto, one of our members also filed a complaint with the Deputy Chief Minister to institute a Crime Branch or State CID enquiry into this multicrore racket

We understand and is alleged that all this pressure on the authorities to do the needful to clear the place is under the behest of a very senior Congress Minister in the present Government.

Our demands are :

1. We demand an high level enquiry by the Chief Minister and also the High Court 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 and several others will submit a memorandum to Ms Priya Dutt, the local Member of Parliament to seek her intervention so that justice is done to the affected residents

The Bombay Catholic Sabha will decide their next course of action after this meeting with Ms Priya Dutt.

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