Summary:
Activists stated that the corporators were unknowingly supporting illegal activities like encroachments on government land. “What were forest officials doing when their land was being taken up and what is the guarantee that it may not be encroached upon in future?” an activist asked. Other parties supported the move, saying that the residents complained that forest officials never allowed them to repair their broken homes or construct toilets.Aresolution, later passed in the house, will be sent to the state government for approval, mayor Meenakshi Shinde said. The issue was also discussed in the house on Saturday, when it was revealed that the resolution may not be approved by the forest department or state government.Commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal suggested an appeal be made to the state about reserving a plot for rehousing residents of such structures. THANE: Corporators of Thane Municipal Corporation ( TMC ) want the administration to adopt and provide basic amenities to the nearly three lakh encroachers staying on government, forest and CRZ land.Cutting across party lines, they plan to prepare a memorandum and appeal to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis , seeking a rehabilitation plan which could be applicable in other parts of the state as well.The issue was raised in the civic house on Friday after Prakash Barde , NCP corporator from Kalwa, claimed thousands from slum pockets in his ward and neighbouring areas, including Waghoba Nagar, Gholai Nagar and Sai Nagar were deprived of basic amenities.He said some have been staying there for several decades but have been deprived of toilets and drinking water.Barde suggested bringing the residents under the fold of the administration to alleviate their problems by letting them pay taxes.Most have electricity, while some get water, so what was the harm in levying them bills for the services, the corporators asked..