NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE’S MOVEMENTS

National Office : 6/6 Jangpura B, New Delhi – 110 014 . Phone : 011 2437 4535

December22nd , 2013

To,

Honorable Shri K. R.Shankarnarayan,

The Governor,

RajBhavan,

Mumbai, Maharashtra

 

Hon’ble Governor Sir,

We are writing this letter with deep anguish and shock felt on reading in the media about your denial of permission to file FIR against Shri Ashok Chavan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, based on the CBI reports on ‘Adarsh’.

Sir, ‘Adarsh’ case and the CBI report, the first one implicating such senior politician and bureaucrats certainly is a tip of the iceberg and hence needs to be taken seriously. There is no doubt that what is brought out through the CBI report in the minimum of illegality and irregularity involved in the case. Much more may come up later through the case filed by National Alliance of People’s Movements, based on the documents under Right to Information Act, collected by my colleague, and is typical of what is happening in the arena of allotment of land as well as houses, by various government agencies in Maharashtra. Whichever may be the department and agency involved, the higher ups, going against law, grab the land and/or house, thereby depriving the needy persons and sections of their rights.

Violation of Environmental laws and various acts and notifications as also judgments of the Apex Court has become a common practice in the country and with monitoring of the same being weak and infrequent, destruction of the natural eco-system as well as shelter of families and communities living on those has become rampant. CRZ-its regulation, monitoring and management plan is an important issue since the coastal areas to fisher folk are bearing the brunt. Isn’t it to be considered an offence and environmental crime when the politicians, on one hand disobey all rules and regulations with respect to CRZ and on the other, demolish even small, Kutchcha houses of the poor, under the disguise of mangroves protection?

All such illegalities involved in the ‘Adarsh’ scandal became much more serious where one looks at the absolutely deceptive enquiry that was being carried out so far and which took years to get recorded and admitted. Even the CBI enquiry was lodged as per the directive of the High Court of Mumbai in our case, filed by NAPM. Otherwise despite of  clear assessment by the Ministry of Environment and Forest there was no action of the kind of demolition, even of a part of the building. On the contrary, communities sheltering the poor, are uprooted alleging those who are compelled to live on the governmentland as ‘encroachers’, but not the elites-political and economic-who do not hesitate to grab a house illegally, even after having 10 large houses and land chunks in their name.

What a stark contrast it is that on the very day when in spite of 60 households in Adarsh having been declared as either ‘benami’ or  ‘belonging to the ineligible’, there is no accusation or complaint lodged against even one of the purchasersand facilitators or decision makers;  while on the same day ‘Adarsh Nagar’, a slum in Govandi (N-E  suburb in Mumbai) is served notice upon, along with other poor localities housing more than  2000 families of hawkers, domestic servants, safai karamcharis, labourers, construction workers  etc. ! All of them are threatened to be dishoused and displaced with brutal demolition with police force, any day, even tomorrow.

Your honor, Sir, you may remember that we had raised the issue of such poor communities before you but have not had any response as yet.

In this context, we are pained to know about your denying permission to file FIR against the former CM, Mr. Chavan, in Adarsh case.

We appeal to your conscience and faith in non-corrupt governance and we would expect your intervention into the matter by:-

i)  Permitting legal action on the basis of CBI report without any discrimination,

ii)  Recommend to the Chief Minister, strict action against the offenders, as also of demolition or acquisition of the illegal structure and other related decisions  in Adarsh,

iii)  Take a stand on the housing rights of the poor slum dwellers and stop brutal eviction till issues are resolved with an immediate dialogue, on our proposal and demands, involving the CM, and your mediation, at the earliest. Advice the State against planned forcible demolition urgently please.

Expecting a response,

With respectful Pranam,

Yours Sincerely,

 

 

MedhaPatkar,                                 SumitVajale,                           JamilBhai,                    

PunamKanojia,                               Shri Ram,                              AnwariBehen

 

Contact: 09423965153, 09212587159

 

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