Skip to main content

Chhattisgarh plans to demolish workers' houses to 'facilitate' industrial units in Bhilai

Counterview Desk
The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), India’s top civil society network, has asked Bhupesh Baghel, Chhattisgarh chief minister, to urgently intervene and stop the eviction of workers in the Bhilai Industrial Area and the demolition of their houses in Bijli Nagar in order to ensure that about 100 people do not become homeless.
Pointing out that more houses are likely to be demolished, in a letter to Baghel, NAPM said, move is in violation of workers' housing rights, pointing out, it is sought to be carried out in order to set up new industrial units even as no provisions have been made for workers' resettlement or rehabilitation.

Text:

We, the members of National Alliance of People’s Movements have received some disturbing information about violation of the housing rights of workers in the Bhilai Industrial Area.
It is reported that around 30 houses of factory workers are slated for demolition in the coming week in Bijli Nagar area of Hathkhoj basti, Bhilai, which will make more than a 100 people homeless, including around 50 children.
The basti has been in existence for over 30 years, but is now slated for demolition as the land belongs to Chhattisgarh administration’s Department of Industry and Commerce, which needs to set up new industrial units. The workers have been given no alternative accommodation and no provisions have been made for their resettlement or rehabilitation.
These houses have been built by factory workers employed in nearby factories over decades of hard and strenuous work. Over the years, their basti obtained legal connections for water and electricity. Not only have the residents have been faithfully paying their utility bills, they have also been paying property taxes for their modest tenements.
Yet, the bulldozers came on July 17, 2020 and starting tearing down the basti. They have pulled down around 10 tea-shops and small commercial establishments before the people convinced them to give them a few days to collect their stuff. The rest of the demolition is expected to continue in the coming week.
These 30 houses are only the first lot to be demolished. The Bhilai Industrial Area is dotted by many such “illegal” worker bastis, since no provisions for housing of workers have been made in much of the industrial area.
Bulldozers pulled down 10 tea shops and small commercial units before people convinced them for time to collect their stuff
When land was first acquired decades ago for the creation of Bhilai Industrial Area, numerous promises were made for housing the industrial labour in clean and spacious labour camps and worker colonies – but these were never built. The land acquired was allotted only to industrial units, with no thought towards the housing of workers and their families.
Now, when the workers have toiled hard to build their own homes and colonies, they are being thrown out in the middle of a raging pandemic and a depressed economy.
This forced eviction and demolition of workers' houses during a public health crisis will accentuate the disastrous consequences of this move for the workers families and expose them to the Covid-19 further.
We earnestly demand that:
  1. The demolition of establishments in Bijli Nagar area of Hathkhoj be stopped immediately.
  2. The residents of Bijli Nagar be adequately resettled in alternate housing, close to their places of work, with access to schools and hospitals. 
  3. No one be forcibly moved during the monsoon period and Covid period. 
  4. The owners of houses/shops/buildings that have been torn down be adequately compensated. 
We look forward to compassionate action, respecting the rights of workers.
---
Click here for signatories

Comments

TRENDING

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas*  In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023. 

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'Ambiguous policy': India late in advocating EVs as energy storage in national grid

By Shankar Sharma*  This is regarding the points raised by the Chief Electricity Authority’s (CEA's) advocacy for usage of electrical vehicles (EVs) as energy storage technology, and few associated issues . An objective reading of what he states should reiterate the enormously growing importance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in our need to transition to a net-zero carbon scenario for the country.

Union Health Ministry, FSSAI 'fail to respond' to NHRC directive on packaged food

By Our Representative  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the adverse health effects caused by packaged foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats. Recognizing it as a violation of the Right to Life and Right to Health of Indian citizens, the quasi-judicial body called for a response from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding its selection of front-of-pack labels aimed at providing consumers with information to make healthier choices.

Is India emulating west, 'using' anti-terror plank to justify state-supported violence?

Fahad Ahmad, Baljit Nagra*  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India of being involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh leader, on Canadian soil. Narendra Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist Indian government is defiant and denies involvement. Indian officials have instead admonished Canada for being a “ safe haven ” for Sikh “terrorism,” a pejorative for Sikh self-determination .