Medha Patkar follows Anna Hazare path, for good

Medha Patkar's follows the path laid by Anna Hazare and her fast seems to be bringing an impact on the government as Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan spoke to her over the phone on Thursday midnight and agreed to many of her demands. However Patkar has not broken her fast claiming the language in the Government resolution (GR) was less than what was promised by the CM. Patkar is on indefinite hunger strike since eight days, demanding major changes in slum rehabilitation policy and inquiry on projects where there have been complaints of forgery.

CM has agreed for inquiry of alleged forgery in Ganeshkripa Society and 15 other Slum Rehabilitation projects across Mumbai city with members of civil society and a time- bound investigation. The government officials presented drafts of two GRs; one of them was about the inquiry committee on Ganeshkripa Society and the second was about 15 other projects where we have found forgery. " The language was twisted in a way that was not favoring the inquiry.

There were certain mistakes in terms the number of members in the committee. We rectified all of them and sent it back for notification," said Simpreet Singh, member, National Alliance of People's Movement. Singh also alleged that there has been pressure from the builder lobby on the CM. " There were differences in what CM and Sachin Ahir, housing minister collectively told us and what was mentioned in the GR. It seems builders have applied pressure and the Court and government have been misguided by the builders but we don't want such scene to repeat."

Demands

1. Two committees to be constituted: one, four member committee for the Ganesh Kripa Society and another five member Committee for 15 SRA projects across the Mumbai.

2. The committee for Ganeshkripa would submit its report to the state government by June 15 and till then no demolitions should take place.

3.The second committee to review other projects would submit interim report in three months time and final report in six months time.

4. 25 settlements to be declared as slums officially in three months time and provision of basic facilities like water, electricity and sanitation in these areas.

5. A meeting on June 10 with government officials to discuss about the implementation of Rajiv Awas ojana (RA) that would allow slum dwellers of rehabilitation without considering any cut- off date for eligibility that was promised by Chief Secretary Ratnakar Gikwad.