INDIA: 6000 slum dwellers evicted and denied resettlement in West Bengal 

Sir,

In a brutal eviction drive, to uproot nearly 6000 slum dwellers in the vicinity of Eastern Bypass, Kolkata and demolishment of their 1200 shanties for a suggested ‘beautification’ and ‘development’ programme took place by the personnel of Bidhan Nagar Police Station and Rapid Action Force (RAF) on 04/10/2009 from 6 to 10 a.m., the drive not only made them homeless but posed serious challenges to their life and livelihood.

The affected faced ruthless physical assaults and even women, pregnant women and children were not spared from police atrocities and many of them sustained injuries during this heinous displacement drive without the mandatory provision of a court order for the same. The dwellers are mainly daily wage labourers from socially marginalised sections with a sizable number from religious minority community.

The composition of the populace is again common to this metropolis as they were victims of internal displacement from their rural natives and came to Kolkata, the nearest metropolis for a better pasture and sustain their life. In this course their families settled alongside a stinking sewage just adjacent to the place of affluence; Salt Lake.

The age of the said inhabitation is nearly 30 years and by that only the residents having adversary possession rights over their living place, according to the domestic law of the country. Again it should be emphasized by the civil society that the people were not migrated by their own wish but under compulsion as state failed to provide them basic livelihood option at their natives. The whole eviction drive was done without prior and proper R&R (rehabilitation and resettlement) package, what was against the basic justification and legal validation.

Our fact finding over the issue revealed that on 3/10/2009, Saturday, State Urban Development Authority announced the eviction through public address system without proper information on the time and date for the proposed eviction and in very next day on 4/10/09, Sunday, a large posse of police from Bidhan Nagar (south) police station with Rapid Action Force personnel; numbering in 7 to 8 hundreds with lathis and firearms with empty trucks and bulldozers reached at the place. The raiding party totally ransacked the slum. The personnel in uniform demolished every earthly belongings of the community and not even spared cooked food. Having the prior assumption about the eviction, some residents hided few materials of emergency need at different adjacent place but the Policemen forced the affected people to unhide the same and burnt those in front of them, thereafter. There were four tube-wells, bored by the slum dwellers by their own money. Police destroyed those sources of drinking water. The raiding party indiscriminately lathi charged on the dwellers without any provocation or resistance by these marginalized population.

The eviction drive was purposefully done on a Sunday, when all the offices & courts are closed restricting the dwellers to make any complaint before administration or court of law.

All the material belongings were snatched from the people and looted by the police personnel. Not a single seizure list were made out by the police.

The eviction drive compelled the people to leave the slum. And few of them were spending their days little far from the place under plastic sheets. But every night they were threatened by the police and ultimately on 12/10/2009 police again torn apart those sheets and forced them to live under the bare sky.

On 16/10/2009 a street corner meeting was organized by some Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and their network, named as GRIHA ADHIKAR MANCH (GAM). On 21/10/2009 a team consisting representatives of this network and the victims met with the officer in charge of Bidhan Nagar South Police Station. He referred them to meet with Mr. Ashok Das, the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) of Bidhan Nagar. While the representatives met Mr. Das and demanded for proper rehabilitation, Mr. Das shirked off and said the whole responsibility is upon Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) but he did not utter anything about the brutal treatment committed by the police and thus he washed his hands.

The incident not only tarnished the basic tenets of fundamental rights as guaranteed under Article 21 of Indian Constitution. But also bared the anti people act of the state with complete apathy for socio- economically marginalized community. Here I want to recall the state actors that international right to adequate housing is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and our State has international obligation to obey as a party.

Apart from the said infringements, the incident violated few other universally accepted principles or rights for the people, such as:

– The right to non-interference with privacy, family and home
– The right to be protected against the arbitrary deprivation of property
– The right to the peaceful enjoyment of possessions – these forced evictions occur without mandatory warning, forcing people to abandon their homes, lands and worldly possessions
– The right to respect for the home
– The right to freedom of movement and to choose their residence
– The right to education – we are attaching a list of school going children with regular and informal schools, an NGO run education center was demolished during the drive.
– The right to security of the person – implementing authorities not spoke out about any rehabilitation measure make the populace more insecure and vulnerable
– The right to effective remedies for alleged human rights violations

We demand for:-

– Immediate proper rehabilitation and appropriate resettlement of the evictees
– Immediate compensation to the injured of police and RAF atrocities.
– The police and RAF personnel should be booked under appropriate penal provisions for their illegal acts and offences
– Departmental proceedings against the sanctioning authority/ person for the eviction/ demolition drive for negating the law
– Specific criminal case against all the personnel who were involved with the illegal & forcible eviction and also for theft, looting, damaging of property, outrage of modesty of women, threatening and terrorizing the children including the disabled.

Thanking you,
Yours truly,

Kirity Roy
Secretary, Masum
&
National Convenor, PACTI

The list of few victims whom we met, are attached herewith:-

Sl. No Name Sex Age in years Occupation
1 Md. Lalu Das M 47 Casual Labour
2 Ms. Rekha Bibi F 32 House wife
3 Md. Najmul Islam M 27 Casual Labour
4 Md. Asraf Ali Islam M 23 Casual Labour
5 Md. Akram Ali Islam M 20 Casual Labour
6 Ms. Rajina Khatoon F 5 Minor
7 Ms. Marjina Khatoon F 3 Minor
8 Sk. Daian M 40 Labour
9 Ms. Rabea Bibi F 35 Labour
10 Mr. Rakibul Ali M 18 Labour
11 Mr. Israd Ali M 21 Labour
12 Ms. Rakea Khatoon F 12 Child Labor
13 Mr. Firoj Mohammad M 10 Child Labor
14 Mr. Islam Ali F 7 Child Labor
15 Mr. Sahabuddin Molla M 25 Labour
16 Ms. Marjina Bibi F 20 Domestic Help
17 Mr. Basirudin Molla M 7 Child Labor
18 Ms. Maruba Khatoon F 4 Minor
19 Ms. Salima Khatoon F 2 Minor
20 Ms. Namita Mridha (widow) F 29 Domestic Help
21 Mr. Birakta Mridha M 14 Child Labor
22 Mr. Amit Mridha M 10 Child Labor
23 Mr. Nibas Sarder M 45 Mentally Challenged unemployed
24 Ms. Kanika Sarder F 35 Domestic Help
25 Mr. Kartik Sarder M 22 Labour
26 Mr. Bhajahari Mondal M 65 Jobless
27 Ms. Renuka Mondal F 50 Domestic Help
28 Mr. Shyamal Mondal M 27 Labour
29 Ms. Mamoni Mondal F 22 House wife
30 Mr. Krishna Mondal M 2 Minor
31 Ms. Pratima Mondal F 3 Minor
32 Mr. Sukumar Ari M 40 Labour
33 Ms. Uma Ari F 30 Domestic Help
34 Mr. Ranjit Ari M 15 Child Labor
35 Mr. Sachin Ari M 13 Child Labor
36 Mr. Abhijit Ari M 7.5 Child Labor
37 Mr. Uttam Ari M 32 Labour
38 Ms. Rita Ari F 18 House wife
39 Ms. Manasi Ari F 26 House wife
40 Ms. Mitu Ari F 5 Minor
41 Mr. Heno Ari M 3 Minor
42 Mr. Dudhkumar Ari M 42 Labour
43 Ms. Archana Ari F 31 Domestic Help
44 Ms. Purnima Ari F 12 Child Labor
45 Ms. Pratima Ari F 3.5 Minor
46 Mr. Biswajit Ari M 7 Child Labor
47 Mr. Abdul Sattar Ali Molla M 45 Rag picker
48 Ms. Amina Bibi F 36 Rag picker
49 Ms. Asma Khatoon F 18 Jobless, unemployed
50 Ms. Najma Khatoon F 17 Child Labor
51 Ms. Salma Khatoon F 6 Child Labor
52 Ms. Dabina Khatoon F 9 month Lactating child
53 Mr. Gaffal Ali Molla M 16 Labour
54 Mr. Gokul Ali Molla M 15 Labour
55 Mr. Aftar Ali Molla M 14 Rag picker
56 Mr. Ataul Ali Molla M 13 Rag picker
57 Mr. Ashakul Molla M 12 Rag picker
58 Ms. Gita Sarkar F 45 Labour
59 Mr. Babu Sarkar M 25 Labour
60 Mr. Pocha Mondal M 45 Labour
61 Ms. Namita Mondal F 27 Domestic Help
62 Mr. Joy Mondal F 11 Child Labor
63 Mr. Bijoy Mondal M 8 Child Labor
64 Ms. Jayshree Mondal F 6 Child Labor
65 Mr. Pintu Mondal M 35 Rickshaw puller
66 Ms. Shila Mondal F 25 Domestic Help
67 Mr. Hriday Mondal M 2 Minor
68 Mr. Badal Mondal M 25 Rickshaw puller
69 Ms. Dipali Mondal F 20 House wife
70 Ms. Sumitra Mondal F 7 Child Labor
71 Mr. Sujit Mondal M 3 Minor
72 Mr. Bikash Mondal M 30 Water carrier
73 Ms. Mamoni Mondal F 25 Domestic Help
74 Mr. Benpati Mondal M 14 Child Labor
75 Ms. Kadam Mondal F 15 Child Labor
76 Mr. Kangra Purui M 45 Rickshaw puller
77 Ms. Mithu Purui F 30 House wife
78 Mr. Nibas Mondal M 20 House wife
79 Mr.Naru Mondal M 22 Labour
80 Mr. Rahul Mondal M 5 Minor
81 Ms. Sonu Mondal F 2 Minor
82 Mr. Dinu Mondal M 45 Labour
83 Ms. Kamala Mondal F 42 House wife
84 Mr. Ajit Mondal M 20 Rag picker
85 Mr. Biplab Mondal M 18 Rag picker
86 Ms. Behula Mondal F 16 Child Labor
87 Ms. Jamuna Mondal F 14 Child Labor
88 Ms. Rupbati Mondal F 12 Child Labor
89 Ms. Usharani Mondal F 50 Domestic Help
90 Mr. Kamal Mondal M 27 Labour
91 Ms. Tumpa Mondal F 20 House wife
92 Mr. Kaushik Mondal M 2 Minor
93 Mr Samar Biswas M 35 Rickshaw puller
94 Ms. Anita Biswas F 22 House wife
95 Ms. Dipa Biswas F 4 Minor
96 Mr. Shiba Biswas M 2 Minor
97 Mr. Banchha Mondal M 22 Labour
98 Ms. Shrabanti Mondal F 18 House wife
99 Mr. Joy Mondal M 44 Labour
100 Ms. Radhika Mondal F 30 House wife
101 Ms. Shila Mondal F 19 Minor
102 Ms. Debi Mondal F 14 Child Labor
103 Mr. Dipu Mondal M 18 Rag picker
104 Mr. Deben Mondal M 50 Labour
105 Ms. Arati Mondal F 40 House wife
106 Ms. Vasani Mondal F 16 Child Labor
107 Mr. Tapas Mondal M 10 Child Labor
108 Mr. Bapi Mondal M 30 Labour
109 Ms. Sima Mondal F 25 Labour
110 Ms. Swapna Mondal F 5.5 Minor
111 Ms. Ratna Mondal F 2 Minor
112 Mr. Rakesh Mondal M 4 Minor
113 Mr. Selim Mondal M 19 Labour
114 Ms. Mamoni Mondal F 17 Labour
115 Mr. Jit Mondal M 1.5 Minor
116 Mr. Rahim Mondal M 60 Jobless
117 Ms. Laxmijan Bibi F 50 House wife
118 Mr. Hasan Ali Molla M 25 Labour
119 Ms. Arana Khatoon F 18 House wife
120 Ms. Jamana Bibi F 30 Mentally Challenged
121 Mr. Nader Ali Molla M 9.5 Child Labor
122 Ms. Sukhjan Khatoon F 6.5 Child Labor
123 Mr. Arun Mondal M 40 Labour
124 Ms. Namita Mondal F 35 Domestic Help
125 Mr.Raju Mondal M 20 Rag picker
126 Mr. Baju Mondal M 15 Rag picker
127 Mr Praja Mondal M 12 Rag picker
128 Mr. Budho Mondal M 40 Labour
129 Ms. Anjali Mondal F 35 Domestic Help
130 Mr. Prabodh Mondal M 45 Rickshaw puller
131 Mr. Subodh Mondal M 40 Rickshaw puller
132 Mr Shankar Bairagi M 35 Rickshaw puller
133 Ms. Shyamali Bairagi F 35 Domestic Help
134 Ms. Gayatri Bairagi F 32 Domestic Help
135 Ms. Jharna Bairagi F 25 Domestic Help
136 Mr. Mantu Bairagi M 75 Crippled
137 Ms Kanan Bairagi F 60 Crippled
138 Ms. Ashoka Bairagi F 12 Child Labor
139 Ms. Bishakha Bairagi F 11 Child Labor
140 Ms. Mumpi Bairagi F 8 Child Labor
141 Mr. Bhim Bairagi M 2 Minor
142 Mr. Baren Mondal M 60 Crippled
143 Ms. Bina Mondal F 45 Domestic Help
144 Ms. Sushma Mondal F 12 Child Labor
145 Mr. Nilkamal Bhowmik M 40 Rag picker
146 Ms. Gita Bhowmik F 35 Domestic Help
147 Mr. Papa Bhowmik M 17 Rag picker
148 Mr. Bubai Bhowmik M 15 Rag picker
149 Mr. Babai Bhowmik M 13 Rag picker
150 Mr. Bablu Bhowmik M 11 Rag picker
151 Mr. Bablu Mondal M 50 Watchman
152 Mr. Panchu Mondal M 22 Rikshaw puller
153 Mr. Nimai Mondal M 60 Labour
154 Ms. Laxmi Mondal F 45 Domestic Help
155 Mr. Badal Biswas M 50 Labour
156 Ms. Sandha Biswas F 45 Domestic Help
157 Mr. Nimai Biswas M 25 Labour
158 Mr. Samar Biswas M 22 Labour
159 Mr. Samir Biswas M 20 Labour
160 Mr. Nanda Bag M 40 Rikshaw puller
161 Mr. Chandi Bag M 30 Domestic Help
162 Mr. Khokan Bag M 20 Rag picker
163 Mr. Paban Bag M 18 Rag picker
164 Mr. Tapas Bag M 16 Rag picker
165 Mr. Bappa Bag M 15 Rag picker
166 Mr. Purna Mondal M 55 Rikshaw puller
167 Ms. Netrabala Mondal F 50 House wife
168 Mr. Bachhu Mondal M 30 Water carrier
169 Mr. Khokan Molla M 32 Business
170 Ms. Adija Bibi F 22 House wife
171 Mr Masidur M 7 Child Labor
172 Mr. Hamidur M 5 Minor
173 Mr. Ashok Mondal M 25 Labour
174 Ms. Shampa Mondal F 20 House wife
175 Mr. Rahul Mondal M 4 Minor
176 Mr. Bankim Chanda M 50 Crippled
177 Ms. Debjani Chanda F 40 Domestic Help
178 Mr. Gunadhar Chanda M 27 Labour
179 Mr. Tapas Chanda M 22 Labour
180 Ms. Jaba Thander F 1 Minor
181 Ms. Chandana Dolui F 11 month Lactating child
182 Mr. Hasan Molla M 2.5 month Lactating child
183 Mr. Sosen Molla M 2.5 month Lactating child
184 Mr. Debjoy Mallik M 3 month Lactating child
185 Mr. Mominur Mondal M 1 month Lactating child
186 Ms. Rupa Sarder F 11 month Lactating child
187 Ms. Rehena Mondal F 10 month Lactating child
188 Mr. Sahinur Mondal M 10 month Lactating child
189 Mr. Jit Dolui M 8 month Lactating child
190 Mr. Guni Molla M 1 Minor
191 Mr. Roni Biswas M 1 Minor
192 Mr. Roni Mondal M 1 Minor
193 Ms. Sabina Biswas F 1 Minor
194 Mr. Saipur Sarder M 9 month Lactating child
195 Mr. Guni Pradhan M 7 month Lactating child
196 Mr. Akash Prodhan M 8 months Lactating child
197 Ms. Sarathi Khatoon F 5 months Lactating child
198 Mr. Debashish Halder M 1 Minor
199 Mr. Ajay Sarkar M 10 month Lactating child
200 Mr. Panchu Paswan M 1 Minor
201 Mr. Siraj Mondal M 26 Physically Challenged
202 Mr. Tuhin Shubhra Panda M 10 Physically Challenged
203 Ms. Nurjahan Seikh F 35 Physically Challenged
204 Mr. Nitai Prodhan M 55 Physically Challenged
205 Mr. Iqbal Mondal M 21 Physically Challenged
206 Mr. Kanai Nath Mondal M 70 Physically Challenged
207 Mr. Siraj Seikh M 45 Physically Challenged
208 Ms. Tuni Thander F 20 Physically Challenged
209 Ms. Sahanara Bibi F 40 Physically Challenged
210 Mr. Bishal Barik M 9 Physically Challenged
211 Ms. Angurbala Das F 65 Physically Challenged
212 Mr. Toton Das M 9 Physically Challenged
213 Mr. Sachin Ari M 6 Physically Challenged
214 Ms. Nirmala Das F 80 Physically Challenged
215 Mr. Ajay Mondal M 9 Physically Challenged
216 Ms. Dipali Sarkar F not known Physically Challenged
217 Mr. Alamgir Seikh M 11 School going
218 Mr. Jahangir Seikh M 12 School going
219 Mr. Pinaki Mondal M 12 School going
220 Ms. Balika Sarder F 12 School going
221 Ms. Fatema Khatoon F 11 School going
222 Ms. Shila Sarder F 6 School going
223 Ms. Halima Khatoon F 8 School going
224 Ms. Puja Mondal F 8 School going
225 Ms. Parbati Mondal F 8 School going
226 Ms. Laxmi Mondal F 10 School going
227 Ms. Puja Sarder F 8 School going
228 Ms. Riya Sarder F 8 School going
229 Ms. Jayshree Mondal F 7 School going
230 Mr. Biswanath Mondal M 8 School going
231 Mr. Rahul Mondal M 5 School going
232 Mr. Nitai Sarder M 11 School going
233 Ms. Pratima Mondal F 5 School going
234 Mr. Sariful Khan M 7 School going
235 Mr. Abhijit Biswas M 13 School going
236 Mr. Sushanta Sarder M 8 School going
237 Ms. Debi Gaini F 8 School going
238 Ms. Pinki Gaini F 7 School going
239 Mr. Babai Gaini M 6 School going
240 Mr. Subrata Mondal M 7 School going
241 Mr. Krtik Mondal M 7 School going
242 Ms. Tinka Pandey F 15 School going
243 Ms. Rinku Pandey F 9 School going
244 Mr. Suny Hazra M 5 School going
245 Ms. Swadeshswari F 8 School going
246 Mr. Kailash Dolui M 7 School going
247 Mr. Jit Dolui M 6 School going
248 Mr. Robiul Seikh M 6 School going
249 Ms. Nasima Khatoon F 14 School going
250 Ms. Sumita Dolui F 8 School going
251 Ms. Susmita Dolui F 7 School going
252 Ms. Dipika Das F 10 School going
253 Mr. Somnath Das M 14 School going
254 Ms. Menoka Sarder F 8 School going
255 Mr. Paltu Sarder M 8 School going
256 Ms. Rozina Bibi F 19 Pregnant
257 Ms. Ambia Bibi F 20 Pregnant
258 Ms. Paru Dolui F 19 Pregnant
259 Ms. Mira Sarder F 20 Pregnant
260 Ms. Ratna Sarder F not known Pregnant
261 Ms. Jhuma Sarder F 18 Pregnant
262 Ms. Sahanara Bibi F 25 Pregnant
263 Ms. Minu Mondal F 25 Pregnant
264 Ms. Brihaspati Samanta F 20 Pregnant
265 Ms. Gita Mondal F 22 Pregnant
266 Ms. Mamoni Mondal F 25 Pregnant
267 Ms. Padma Paswan F 25 Pregnant
268 Ms. Hamida Bibi F 30 Pregnant
269 Ms. Tapasi Bag F 19 Pregnant
270 Ms. Shrabanti Mondal F 19 Pregnant
271 Ms. Sabita Chanda F 18 Pregnant
272 Ms. Minu Mondal F 25 Pregnant
273 Ms. Rozina Bibi F 19 Pregnant
274 Ms. Sanju Bibi F 25 Pregnant
275 Ms. Sahanara Bibi F 22 Pregnant

For further information please contact:

Mr. Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha
Tele Fax : +91-33-2640 4118
Phone: +91-33-2640 4520
e. mail : kirityroy@gmail.com
Web: www.masum.org.in

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Document Type : Forwarded Open Letter
Document ID : AHRC-FOL-013-2009
Countries : India,
Issues : Land rights, Poverty & adequate standard of living,