HEC slum-dwellers opposed to housing project seek MLA’s help

Ranchi: Ahead of the state urban development department plans to restart the ground work for Centre’s ambitious Light House Project (LHP) at Jagannathpur in HEC area on Tuesday, a delegation of HEC Basti Bachchao Sangharsh Samiti met Poriyahat MLA Pradeep Yadav at his residence in Ranchi on Monday, seeking his intervention on the matter. Yadav has reportedly assured them that he will take up the issue with chief minister Hemant Soren soon.
The Centre plans to help those whose annual income is below Rs 3 lakh through the project by building 1,008 flats for them in the HEC area. The total cost of the project is around Rs 133 crore. While the Union government will give Rs 5 lakh per flat, state will bear Rs 1 lakh while Rs 6.79 lakh is to be borne by the selected beneficiary.
Mintu Paswan, the convenor of HEC Basti Bachchao Sangharsh Samiti, said, “We came to know that state urban development department is planning to resume work on the project tomorrow, following which we decided to meet Yadav to seek his help. In March, he had raised questions regarding the project in the assembly, stating that the beneficiaries will not be able to bear the cost. At today’s meeting, Yadav assured us of discussing the matter with the CM.”
Asked why they are opposed to the project, Paswan said, “LHP is coming up on the only open ground in HEC area. Many are afraid of being displaced once the flats come up. We have been demanding the relocation of the site for a long period of time and will continue doing so.”
On Tuesday, officials from the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), which is a unit of the state urban development department, are slated to visit the 7.5-acre site for soil testing. Apprehending resistance from the locals, DMA director J V Narayan Rao has allegedly written to Ranchi administration, seeking the deployment of cops.
In April, the DMA officials’ plans to work on the project was met with resistance by the slum-dwellers who resorted to protest, forcing the officials to put the project on hold.
Last week during a review meeting, the Centre came down heavily on the state urban development department for keeping the project on hold, sources said. According to Rao’s letter to the Ranchi administration, the Union ministry of housing and urban development has threatened to stall funds for LHP if there is any further delay in the commencement of the work.
Although Rao didn’t respond to TOI’s calls, an official from the state urban development department said, “The foundation stone of the light house project was laid in January and the project is supposed to be completed within a year and the Centre is upset that nothing has been done yet. In April, soil testing attempts on two separate dates remained unsuccessful.”