Demolition and Deprivation of Urban Dwellers

Demolition of slums and squatters are back in the action an aftermath of the urban renewal schemes. The schemes targeting the cities to be modernised and also ceased the opportunity to make the city slum free has attacked the poor housing in urgency. On the one hand they have been told to take whatever the city government is offering or else get away from the path of developmental works. Means to benefit the contractors, politicians and elites.

Whereever the programs has been active onslought on the poor households in eminent. Recent demolition of slums in Surat is one such example. The use of extreme force in the face of opposition from the resiedents are part of cleaning drive.

Inspite of the restrains and clear housing policy the local government is not ready to give the slum dwellers time to ask for more or choose their future. What to talk of public participation? Beggers cannt be choosers, people are bundled out of houses which they thought of being protected in city since last 40 years. The lives and well being of the poor is an astray, and legal sanction of the such demolition is extreme. The courts have no time to hear and the municipality is quick to react on the face of opposition.

The loss of property among the poor is immense and tenure security is no where to be seen. Urban planners are party to such efforts of the local governments. The humanist tradition of city planning is gone awary and result quick action. Just make city clean and slum free. The earlier efforts of regularization, slum upgradation, slum improvement and resettlement has no consequence on the present action in Surat. More so in other metropolitan cities of India. What next? People would be left to mend on their own, would be divided on the communal and caste lines. For those worthy of political and administrative fortune may get alternate housing. Gujarat boast of development leaders ship, but still urban bodies are harsh on the poor.

The rich and elites are allowed to stay on the river banks and poor are taken away some 15 kms away to be dumped like a rag and waste to survive. It makes commen sense to be sensitive to human rights issue but how do we care to listen? The corporation have to service the contractors, builders and elite class.

This deprivation would in future can become costly in terms of increasing unrest and crime rates in city. The corporation dictact in such a case would be long drawn tactics to play in the hands of the few who claim to have acheive the success. Is there is way out of this mess?