Slum dwellers move Gujarat HC to stop demolition

The dwellers were served with a demolition notice on July 17 this year, following which the residents moved court. (File)

Around 250 slum dwellers in Gandhinagar have moved the Gujarat High Court seeking an urgent hearing for Saturday after they were informed of a demolition drive to be conducted from 8 am on Saturday.

According to the residents of the slums, situated behind the Mahatma Mandir complex in Gandhinagar, they’ve been residing there for over 30 years now and while previous court orders combined with government policies had resulted in the allocation of three plots for relocating the slum dwellers, it was not followed through in practice, said a lawyer associated with the matter.

The dwellers were served with a demolition notice on July 17 this year, following which the residents moved court. The court of Justice AY Kogje had issued notice to this effect on August 14 to the respondent parties, including the Gandhinagar district collector and state government authorities, and the court had also reserved the petitioners’ liberty to move court “in case the activity for eviction or demolition of the residential dwellings of the petitioners is apprehended.”

The petitioners are relying on the policy change in 2010-2011 along with a government resolution of 2013 that permits slum dwellers residing at the said dwelling prior to 2010 and have any two documents to establish the same, are eligible to be relocated to a flat, provided for by the state government.

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