MUMBAI: In an unusual move, a group of residents from Yari Road gathered to protest the civic demolition of an illegal slum colony that has settled upon Versova's mangrove forests citing " winter chill ". The huts have been razed repeatedly yet continue to spring back on forest land.The shanties were last demolished two days ago. On Saturday the residents of Save Humanity, a new formation, gathered to show solidarity with the settlers. "We are not entering the legal aspects of the debate. We are asking that the civic authorities provide these 150 people alternate accommodation on humanitarian grounds. Women and children have been rendered homeless in winter, and in the middle of exam season," said Ajay Kaul, who runs multiple educational institutes in Versova. "The Supreme Court stipulates that night shelters be set up for homeless people."He said building residents were bringing food and tea for the displaced. "(Versova beach cleaning activist) Afroz Shah even took two or three children home for a bit as they have exams," Kaul said. "But we cannot take them all in or give them shelter. That is for the authorities to do."Another protestor Mehjabeen Supariwala said the hutment dwellers had voter identity cards, electricity and water connections, Aadhaar and ration cards, and therefore must be given proper rehab homes. "Where were the authorities when they procured all these documents?" she asked.However, another group of Yari Road residents has waged a long battle to evict shanty dwellers who have encroached the 120 ft wide arterial road, squeezing it into 8-10 ft. Those settlers were provided alternate housing in Malad but refused to shift after local politicians promised them rehab homes in Yari Road itself."If the BMC must not evict illegal settlers during winter or monsoon, Ganeshotsav or Diwali, when may it act?" said one member. "We have satellite images to show that this was lush mangroves just 7-8 years ago. Now it is a designated forest land yet it is slowly being denuded. The nexus between local politicians and certain vested interests in the locality is leading to wilful, proliferating encroachment."Shashi Ranjan, president of the Yari Road Residents' Association, said, "This demolition has been undertaken in a lawful manner. It is the duty of citizens to report such wrongdoing and of the authorities to act." The association had invited Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray to this site last year and he had assured that illegal settlers would not be patronised.The local ward officer was not available for comment.

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