Rafiq Nagar(Mumbai) where children died due malnourishment-Grounds not changed yet? 

Dear Pramit Bhattacharya,(HT correspondent)

Movement for Peace&Justice(MPJ.Mah) fact finding report on 16 children died due malnutrition on 13th December 2010 has being vindicated by Mumbai HC a PIL filed in Sep-2011,no nutritious food,no healthcare,no water n sanitation to Rafiq nagar slum dwellers.Its urgent that this poor people get their due entitlements n justice so that they get a dignified life.

 

Your today's article 'Schemes can't stop hunger pangs' in Mumbai HT page 8(links:-http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mumbai/Scheme-can-t-stop-hunger-pangs/Article1-757056.aspx  )

 shows the grounds for the poor in Rafiq Nagar has not changed yet.Also you have failed to asked what has being done in accordance with HC directives to Mah. state? Where is committee and what work has being done till now in regards to Rafiq Nagar Rehabilitation? The committee need to submit its report in one month ie from 19/09/2011,just few days left.(The article was published on 20/09/2011 in HT links:- http://www.hindustantimes.com/Deonar-slum-dwellers-may-be-rehabilitated/Article1-747856.aspx

 

Some of the recommendation and suggestion made in fact finding report are:-

 

     

• ICDS prog. should be implemented with force& proper monitoring. Officials who fails to implement the Schemes should be held responsible& punished and prosecuted according to Court of law.

 

• The information gathered by the health post is shared with the ICDS officers so that ICDS officers may utilize the information and the statistics gathered for the benefit of the expected mothers and child.

 

• The inhabitants of the affected area be appointed as Anganwadi sevika and Anganwadi helpers for proper health awareness and care.According to the population Rafiq Nagar needs total four Anganwadi(existing two) with good infra& proper hygienic conditions.

 

• The present damping ground(Govandi,Rafiq nagar,Mumbai) is spread in 110 hectors of land.  Annually approximately 145000 ton of polluted and untreated waste is dumped here. A huge structure equivalent to 7 storey building has set up here as a result of dumping since 1927.  As per affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court, the BMC was to install a garbage recycle unit within a year.  Even the police has promised to set up a chowky outside Deonar damping ground within a year.  Both promises were made 11 years ago, but yet to be fulfilled.

 

• BMC should identify new site for dumping the waste.
• The present dumping ground should be surrounded by greeneries. Though Municipal Corporation has demarcated reservation "City Park" in its DP Plan and near the said dumping ground.  "City Park" construction should be begun immediately. This demand should be conveyed to Government by public participation & Representatives from all walks of Life.
• • BMC's Department of Health should ensure adequate amount of continuous supply of basic amenities viz water, food and medicinal and hospital facilities for all the citizens and special attention to the underprivileged and the backward sections of the society.

   

  • To provide water, BMC should lay new pipelines connection on urgent basis to Rafiq Nagar slum.

   

  • For better health care of the expected mothers and the children, the health facilities like mobile van and the health post should be installed.

   

  • Health post employee/volunteer should have representation from the habitants of the infected area (dumping ground) for better health awareness.

   

  • On PDS:-Antyodaya Anna Yojna(AAY) Card should be allotted to the people of Rafiq Nagar slum on urgent basis, so that the weaker sections of the society gets their due ration.

   

  • Government should ensure that BPL Card holders are being provided the promised share of food through PDS.

with warm regards                  mpjmedia@gmail.com

Soheb Lokhandwala               9833627173

mpj media(Mah.)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Deonar-slum-dwellers-may-be-rehabilitated/Article1-747856.aspx

Giving a ray of hope to more than 17,500 residents of Rafiq Nagar slums, on the Deonar dumping ground, the Bombay high court on Monday directed the state government to form a high-level committee to discuss the possibility of rehabilitating the slum dwellers. The slum, located on the dumping ground, is a breeding ground for diseases. Since April 2010, 34 children have died there due to water-borne diseases.

The committee will comprise of senior officials – of joint secretary rank and above — from the Urban Development Department, the Public Housing department, the director (Engineering Services and Projects) of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and an officer designated by the chief executive officer of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority.

The division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice DY Chandrachud has given the committee one month to submit a report to the court. 

The HC was hearing public interest litigation filed by an NGO, Movement for Peace and Justice.

Gayatri Singh, counsel for the NGO, pointed out that there were only three health posts, for the six lakh people residing in slums surrounding the dumping ground.  "There are absolutely no civic facilities in the area. They are living in a situation that is unheard of," she said.

Describing the pitiable conditions of the slum dwellers, an affidavit, filed by an officer from the Women and Child Development Department, stated that there were no sanitation facilities in the area. It also said that 95% of the population of the slum lives right next to where the garbage is dumped, The dwellers are required to put plastic sheets on the ground, to prevent seepage of water from the ground.

An additional municipal commissioner informed the judges that the BMC has already taken up a project, for closing down the dumping ground and converting the garbage into fertiliser.